A months-long investigation into suspected drug dealing and criminal activity in New Westminster has resulted in the seizure of $300,000 worth of deadly drug fentanyl by police.
In a press conference on Monday morning, New Westminster Police Chief Const. Dave Jones said what started off as street-level drug probe turned into a much broader investigation that spilled over into Surrey and involved Delta Police and border patrol officers.
“We hope by taking this off the street, we’ll be preventing any further unnecessary deaths,” Jones said.
READ MORE: Drug overdose among the top 10 causes of death in B.C.
Multiple raids carried out in both cities two weeks ago netted a large number of items, including vehicles, cash, a 12-gauge, sawed-off shotgun, a semi-automatic rifle, and a large amount of drugs — including heroin with lethal levels of fentanyl and pure fentanyl. The drugs alone, police say, have an estimated street value of about $300,000.
“We know this is one line that we’ve been able to, perhaps, cut off and we’re not unrealistic that somebody won’t try to step in,” Jones said. “My word to them is if you step in, we’ll be ready for the next one.”
Police have not disclosed how many people were arrested or reveal anything about their backgrounds. All have been released pending charge approval.
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Police will be recommending several charges, which include multiple counts of trafficking a controlled substance and multiple counts of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
This police bust comes at a time when the fentanyl crisis is still front and centre. Province-wide, an average of four people die of a drug overdose every day.
The BC Coroners Service said there were 102 suspected drug overdose deaths in February, an equivalent of about 3.6 deaths per day.
The February number was almost a 73 per cent increase over the number of deaths in the same month last year.
READ MORE: Overdose calls becoming increasingly more common