A former Hells Angel associate has pleaded guilty in connection with a large-scale fentanyl bust in West Kelowna last March.
READ MORE: Large fentanyl bust in West Kelowna
Leslie John McCulloch, one of two people charged in connection with the bust, pleaded guilty to possession for the purpose of trafficking and production of a controlled substance, an analogue of fentanyl.
McCulloch’s girlfriend, 26-year-old Rebekka Rae White, is also charged with the same two offenses. Her preliminary hearing is scheduled for May.
Mounties executed a search warrant at the West Kelowna’s Kandy and Krome Kustoms, an automobile restoration shop owned by McCulloch. They also executed a search warrant at McCulloch’s home.
RCMP said they seized about eight kilograms of suspected fentanyl, hundreds of fake Oxycontin and Percocet pills, two industrial pill presses and $40,000 in the two locations.
“Police estimate that this operation has potentially produced hundreds of thousands of pills, likely distributed locally and possibly beyond,” said Kelowna RCMP Sgt. Alex Lynch in a previous news release.
According to parole board documents “it was suggested that (McCulloch) had been importing fentanyl from China and making Percocet and Oxycontin pills.”
“Police seized an estimated $940,000 considered to be proceeds of crime.”
McCulloch, 37, is being released on bail with conditions, including that he has ‘no association with outlaw motorcycle organizations,’ and he remains under house arrest. He’s facing additional charges which will be dealt with in May.
-With files from Kelly Hayes and Blaine Gaffney