Drugs, cash, gold seized in drug probe

Six people arrested following joint investigation with FBI agents in California

Police in B.C. and California have announced several arrests and a seizure of drugs, cash and gold in a monthslong investigation.

With the help of FBI agents in Los Angeles, RCMP investigators on Vancouver Island were able to identify B.C.based individuals involved in a cross-border drug trafficking operation.

Searches were done between September and December last year of five vehicles and six homes in the Vancouver and Victoria areas. Six people were arrested, and drugs were seized, including:

2.5 kilograms of cocaine, along with about 26 kg of buff (an added ingredient that increases weight without increasing drug content) such as Benzocaine and Procaine. 1.5 kg of ecstasy.

0.5 kg of ketamine.

0.5 kg of methamphetamine.

6,770 doses of LSD.

5,000 tablets of counterfeit Xanax (Etizolam).

60 litres of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB).

Two pounds of dried cannabis, 534 packages of edible

cannabis products.

21/2 pounds of psilocybin. 115 bottles of anabolic steroids in 35 different chemical forms.

And 500 grams of assorted drugs such as opium and heroin

cut with fentanyl; N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT); 5-methoxy-N,N-diisopropyltryptamine (5-MeO-DiPT, a.k.a. Foxy Methoxy); and benzylpiperazin.

More than $365,000 in cash, 15 ounces of gold bars worth nearly $36,000 and 205 ounces of silver bars worth nearly $6,000 were also seized.

Hundreds of packages of cannabis edibles, such as gummies, granola, chocolates, pills, water enhancers, THC patches, THC hot chocolate, dried cannabis buds, extracts and vaping products were also found.

“In B.C., criminal organizations have made significant investments in the illicit drug trade, which has had a lasting negative impact on our society,” said Supt. Richard Bergevin of the RCMP's organized crime unit.

“The damage to our communities is immeasurable and families across our country continue to feel the losses to overdose and addiction.”

Charges have yet to be approved, and the investigation continues.

B.C., FEDERAL SERIOUS AND ORGANIZED CRIME A smorgasbord of drugs and hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash and gold were seized as a result of an investigation by the RCMP, in collaboration with the Federal Bureau of Investigation of Los Angeles.