LAVAL, Que. – Police in Quebec say they have arrested at least 35 people in what they are calling a crackdown on alleged drug activities.
Nearly 400 officers took part in early morning raids in Montreal, Laval and other municipalities in the area.
Laval police spokesman Franco Di Genova says thousands of synthetic drug pills have been seized.
In pictures: A look at the drugs confiscated during the crackdown
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He also points out that the network was a very well-structured group that had ties with the Italian Mob, the Hells Angels and street gangs.
He says the ring was involved in the production and sale of designer drugs, including the date-rape drug GHB.
Di Genova says investigators also found a warehouse in St-Hippolyte, in the Laurentians, where drugs were allegedly transferred from powder to pill form.
In 2010 and 2011, the Laval drug squad seized an average 40,000 illegal pills per year and another 105,000 in 2012.
The police spokesman says a preliminary estimate indicates that another 120,000 synthetic pills were collected during this latest operation.
“It’s starting to be a very serious problem,” Di Genova added.
More details are expected during a news conference on Tuesday afternoon.
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