Three men were released shortly after a raid in Richmond, British Columbia that turned up 22 kilograms of the deadly opioid, fentanyl – a sum that’s enough to kill millions of Canadians.
Vancouver Police Department (VPD) claimed the arrests were made after an investigation into “a group of criminals that were manufacturing and trafficking illicit drugs at various locations throughout the region.”
Police authorities conducted a search warrant on a property which contained an elaborate fentanyl lab. They also discovered 800 grams of methamphetamines and $39,000 in cash in the residential home.
A search of a nearby vehicle also turned up $48,000 more in cash as well as two kilograms of cocaine.
“While the results of this investigation are impressive, there is much more work that needs to be done to address B.C.’s overdose crisis and the criminals that profit from it,” VPD Ins. Phil Heard wrote in a press release.
All three men arrested have since been released pending further investigation.
Police hope to recommend charges related to the production of controlled substances and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
On Thursday, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre called for bail reform after claiming that the criminals perpetrating violent crimes in Canada are being let out of jail repeatedly by the justice system.
“We’ve got to replace these crazy catch-and-release crime policies with a common sense criminal justice reform, and that’s exactly what a Pierre Poilievre government will do,” said Poilievre.
“The same 40 people were arrested 6,000 times in a year. That’s 150 arrests per offender per year.”
