Ontario: BC RCMP Federal Policing has arrested two individuals, and seized a massive cache of precursor chemicals capable of producing 262 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl, and 3 million dosages of MDMA (ecstasy), police said.
The 22 month-long investigation by the BC RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime program (FSOC) was launched after the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) intercepted 54 boxes of liquid gamma-butyrolactone (GBL) in April of 2021.
GBL is classified as a Class A precursor, in Part I of Schedule VI of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA).
According to the police, on February 23, 2023, the BC RCMP FSOC Border Integrity unit simultaneously executed a series of search warrants across Metro Vancouver, and arrested a man and a woman for their alleged involvement in the importation of synthetic drug precursor chemicals. Following this, searches of two residences in Vancouver and Burnaby and three storage facilities in the cities of Vancouver and Surrey, led to the discovery of over 600 kilograms of the fentanyl precursor, 4-Piperidone monohydrate hydrochloride, valued at $600,000.00; and over 200 kilograms of an MDMA (ecstasy) precursor, Piperonyl Methyl Ketone ethyl glycidate (PMK), valued at $120,000.00.
The amount of precursor chemicals seized at these locations could have produced over 525 kilograms of fentanyl, and over 150 kilograms of MDMA, when combined with other chemicals required for their synthesis. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a 2 milligram dose of fentanyl can prove lethal for some individuals; therefore, the seized 4-Piperidone in this case could have produced over 262 million potentially lethal doses of fentanyl.
In addition to the precursor chemicals seized at these locations, other items of interest seized were 3 high end vehicles, 2 luxury watches, electronic goods, cash, dried cannabis, and an assortment of other chemicals used in the manufacturing of illicit synthetic drugs, which are commonly used in other every day products and not regulated/scheduled, police said in a statement.