Surrey RCMP seize hundreds of kilograms of illicit drugs

Mounties in Surrey say three suspects have been arrested as part of what they claim is one of the biggest illicit drug seizures in the detachment’s history.

Surrey RCMP Staff Sgt. Glenn Leeson says the investigation lasted over a year, resulting in the search of seven properties throughout Metro Vancouver.

Mounties took multiple suspects into custody. Leeson says only three were arrested.

He says charges are being forwarded to Crown counsel, but that’s going to take time.

“Crown’s going to have to go through the evidence. And ultimately they have the decision here on who gets charged, and who doesn’t get charged,” Leeson explained.

Police seized a lengthy list of drugs including over 36 kilograms of fentanyl, 23 kilograms of MDMA, 20 kilograms of cocaine, 23 kilograms of methamphetamine — and quantities of other drugs, as well as $119,000 in cash, and three vehicles.

Mounties say the suspects were also involved in trafficking illegal firearms including 3D-printed ‘ghost guns’ and weapons purchased in the United States.

Leeson added that the seizure presented Wednesday isn’t related to any of illicit drug busts in Surrey in recent months.

Assistant Commissioner Brian Edwards insisted that drug busts are an incomplete method of stopping illicit drug supply and toxic drug harm risks.

“Enforcement of drugs is only one pillar and a strategy for a community to prevent that [illicit drugs] destroy lives, and we should not equivocate about that. The message should be clear, don’t go down this road, and we want to do everything that we can at the front-end to stop that,” Edwards said, addressing children and parents.

—With files from Cole Schisler