What started as a drug trafficking investigation in South Delta turned into a major drug bust involving multiple jurisdictions.
Delta police released more information late last week from the large fentanyl bust in Burnaby in March and showed off some of the items seized, including $1.5 million in cash, multiple firearms, computers and cell phones, as well as fentanyl, 12 kilograms of cocaine, 4.5 kilograms of heroin and $100,000 worth of pills, including OxyContin.
Department spokesperson Sarah Swallow said the investigation of drug trafficking in South Delta led to an eight-month operation and the execution of search warrants in Burnaby, Surrey and Richmond on March 17.
In Burnaby, officers discovered a major drug operation where fentanyl was being mixed with other substances to make it look like heroin.
In 2015 in Canada there were 471 deaths directly linked to fentanyl and in 2016 there have already been more than 100 fentanyl-related deaths.
The drug has been the subject of numerous police warnings in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley in the past year. Fentanyl, a power opiate that is more potent than morphine, is often added to other illicit drugs, such as cocaine, heroin and oxycodone, and ingested unknowingly.
"This has made our community safer," said Mayor Lois Jackson, who also chairs the Delta police board, thanking the officers for their work on the case. "I believe you have saved many lives."
Two men were arrested at the scene. Scott Pipping of Surrey and Adam Summers of Delta remain in police custody and are facing 21 charges, including trafficking in a controlled substance and possession for the purposes of trafficking, possession of restricted/prohibited firearms and possession of restricted/prohibited firearms without a licence.
Swallow said two other men, a 34-year-old from Delta and a 25-year-old from Richmond, were arrested earlier this month in connection with the case. Charges are pending.
The investigation is ongoing.
"We are anticipating that there will be more arrests," Swallow said.
