False kidnapping report leads to major drug bust at North Vancouver warehouse: RCMP

Mounties arrested four suspects and seized a "substantial" amount of illicit drugs after responding to a report of a kidnapping at a North Vancouver warehouse on Halloween.

North Vancouver RCMP said they received a report at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, which indicated that a man had been kidnapped at gunpoint and was being held at a warehouse in the 1500 block of Richmond Street.

"Officers immediately responded to contain the warehouse in question," Const. Mansoor Sahak said in a news release Thursday, adding that the occupants of two vehicles were safely arrested shortly after they left the building.

The occupants of the first vehicle were arrested just over the Second Narrows Bridge and the occupants of the second vehicle were subsequently arrested in Vancouver with the assistance of the Vancouver Police Department.

Mounties said several search warrants were executed, which resulted in the seizure of a significant quantity of drugs and cash.

"The warehouse appears to have been the site of a drug trafficking lab where drugs were stored, prepared and packaged to be shipped and sold on the streets," said Sahak.

The seized drugs included marijuana and illicit psilocybin, also known as magic mushrooms.

"Our investigation to date has yielded absolutely nothing suggesting a kidnapping occurred," Sahak added. "Police believe the kidnapping allegation to be a false flag, intended to target the drug trafficking warehouse."

So far, two men are facing charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking. The two other people arrested have yet to be charged.

North Vancouver RCMP's Serious Crime Unit has taken conduct of the file and will continue to investigate.

"This seizure by police means these illicit drugs will never be on our streets in North Vancouver or across British Columbia, victimizing our communities," said Sahak.