Busting one of B.C.'s largest 'super-labs' led to $258M in drugs seized, 6 convictions: RCMP

Mounties announced Tuesday that they had concluded a years-long investigation into one of the largest clandestine “super-labs” producing methamphetamine and fentanyl in British Columbia, with a final two suspects receiving prison sentences last month.

All told, the enforcement led to the dismantling of the lab, the seizure of an estimated $258-million worth of drugs and the conviction of six suspects.

The investigation by the BC RCMP’s Federal Serious and Organized Crime program launched in the fall of 2018, and led to the discovery of the “major multi-drug production facility” operating in the small community of Lumby in the Okanagan, Cpl. Arash Seyed explained at a news conference Tuesday.

Search warrants in 2018 resulted in the seizure of large quantities of methamphetamine and the chemicals used to make it as well as fentanyl.

This August, the final two suspects—Robyn Bryson and Trent Fussi—who police said were the “cooks” at the lab, were sentenced to 11 years imprisonment for producing fentanyl and six for producing methamphetamine. Their sentences will be served concurrently.

The four other suspects—Michael McMorris, Tyson Kopp, Michael Piggott and Michael Harvey—were sentenced in 2021 and 2022.

At the news conference, Seyed said police wanted to highlight this particular case “in order to inform, empower and enhance public vigilance about the dangers and frequency of cross contamination among illicit drugs.”

He pointed out that producing methamphetamine and fentanyl in the same facility with the same cross-contaminated equipment could lead to potentially lethal doses of fentanyl in other drugs. He also held up a recipe for heroin seized from the lab that intentionally included fentanyl as an ingredient.

“Not only has this enforcement action by (BC RCMP FSOC) prevented many doses of potentially deadly drugs from entering our communities, it has sent a strong message to criminal networks that they will be relentlessly pursued and brought to justice for their role in the ongoing drug crisis,” Seyed said.