A 52-year-old Burnaby man and a 21-year-old Vancouver man were arrested in relation to “one of the larger drug seizures we have seen in Metro Vancouver in recent years,” according to the Vancouver Police Department.
The VPD announced today it had seized more than $4 million worth of drugs and $320,000 in cash in an investigation targeting gang activity.
“This is one of the larger drug seizures we have seen in Metro Vancouver in recent years,” Supt. Lisa Byrne said. “We believe this investigation, which ultimately led police to two major ‘stash houses,’ disrupted a significant drug-line supplying drugs in bulk.”
The VPD initiated the investigation about six weeks ago to target the drug trafficking activities of a high profile gang, but Byrne wouldn’t identify the specific organization.
Raids in June on two rented condos in two different downtown Vancouver apartment buildings then turned up 13 kilograms of fentanyl, 11 kilograms of crystal meth, eight kilograms of benzodiazepine and five kilograms of cocaine, according to police.
“This is a very dangerous situation,” Byrne said. “When we have this type of operation in a condo building, you can get contamination in your pipes, hallways, etc. Fentanyl obviously is of major concern for us.”
Police also seized a hydraulic press, $320,000 in cash and a firearm, according to Byrne.
She said the two men arrested so far are “involved in the Lower Mainland gang conflict.”
“That’s why they were specifically targeted,” she said.
The two men have been released pending further investigation.
Charges are expected in the coming weeks, according to the VPD.
Follow Cornelia Naylor on Twitter @CorNaylor
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