Major drug bust

Largest seizure of cocaine in P.E.I. history

Police believe a major drug bust Friday resulted in the largest seizure of cocaine in P.E.I. history. Charlottetown Police Deputy Chief Gary McGuigan says cocaine with a street value of between $500,00 and $750,000 was seized after the force’s street crime unit executed three search warrants.

He says the amount of cocaine is the largest ever seized by Charlottetown Police Services and most likely the largest seizure of this drug in the province.

McGuigan says the seizure should have “a significant impact on the supply of cocaine’’ in P.E.I.

He believes the bulk of the drug was earmarked for Charlottetown.

The deputy chief attributes the bust to the police’s ability to “realize, analyze and act on criminal intelligence quickly.’’ Three Island men are facing drug charges following the seizure, which also netted thousands of dollars in cash, marijuana, oxycodone pills, weapons and drug paraphernalia.

A 59-year-old York man, a 39-year-old North Wiltshire man and a 30-year-old Pisquid man are facing charges of allegedly possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Charlottetown police said they issued a warrant for the arrest of Glen Paul Steele, 30, and is seeking the public’s help to find him.

Anyone with information about Steele’s location can contact Charlottetown police at 902-629-4172 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. McGuigan says any person or persons possessing a quantity of cocaine as large as that seized by police Friday would have to be considered more than simply street level drug dealers.

“They (allegedly) are higher up the food chain,’’ he says.

“The reality is it is a significant amount of cocaine.’’ He says cocaine is second only to marijuana as the most popular, illegal street drug in P.E.I.

“Cocaine is making a comeback,’’ he says.