Mounties arrest 7 after 'significant' seizure of drugs, guns on Vancouver Island
Mounties say seven people have been arrested after a series of co-ordinated property searches on Vancouver Island yielded multiple firearms, including 3D-printed handguns, and several kilograms of drugs.
Authorities say the investigation began in last November and targeted mid-level drug trafficking in the Cowichan Valley.
The probe eventually led to the searches of three residences in the Duncan area and one home in Sooke on March 12 and March 19.
During the searches, police seized an estimated three kilograms of suspected fentanyl, two kilograms of suspected methamphetamine and one and a half kilograms of suspected cocaine, the RCMP said in a news release Friday.
Forty litres of the drug gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB) were also found, along with $240,000 in cash, 400 cartons of contraband cigarettes, body armour, a Taser, a 3D printer, one rifle and six handguns, including a pair of 3D-printed pistols, according to the release.
Police have only identified one of those arrested as 38-year-old Grant Giles of the Fraser Valley. He stands charged with four counts of drug trafficking and one count of failing to comply with a court order.
Court records show Giles has a lengthy criminal history, including previous charges of assault, drug trafficking and flight from police. He is scheduled to appear in court on the most recent charges on Monday.
Investigators say drug and weapons charges are still pending against a 32-year-old man from Greater Victoria and a 38-year-old woman from the Cowichan Valley.
"This series of arrests and search warrant executions will have a significant impact on the drug supply for Cowichan and the South Island and make our communities safer," Staff-Sgt. Deborah Kelly, commander of the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP's plainclothes unit, said in the release.
"From the fentanyl seizure alone, approximately 25,000 street-level doses were seized," Kelly added.
Anyone with information related to the case is asked to contact the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP at 250-748-5522.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
The Indian couple killed in a wrong-way police chase crash on Highway 401 earlier this week has been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Police arrest 3 Indian nationals in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar
Three people have been arrested and charged in the killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar – as authorities continue investigating potential connections to the Indian government.
TD worst-case scenario more likely after drug money laundering allegations: analyst
TD Bank Group could be hit with more severe penalties than previously expected, says a banking analyst after a report that the investigation it faces in the U.S. is tied to laundering illicit fentanyl profits.
Human remains found in rural Sask. possibly a decade old, RCMP say
RCMP say human remains found in a rural area in central Saskatchewan may have been there for a decade or more.
2 charged after police find 'concerning and diverse' explosives at Manitoba home
Winnipeg police say they have arrested two people in their 20s after a large amount of explosives were found in a home outside of Winnipeg, Man.
Canadian doctor concerned new weight-loss drug Wegovy may be used inappropriately
As Wegovy becomes available to Canadians starting Monday, a medical expert is cautioning patients wanting to use the drug to lose weight that no medication is a ''magic bullet,' and the new medication is meant particularly for people who meet certain criteria related to obesity and weight.
Spain abolishes national bullfighting award in cultural shift
Spain scrapped an annual bullfighting award on Friday, prompting a rebuke from conservatives over a backlash against a centuries-old tradition they see as an art form but which has run into growing concern for animal welfare.
Drew Carey is never quitting 'The Price Is Right'
Drew Carey took over as host of 'The Price Is Right' and hopes he’s there for life. 'I'm not going anywhere,' he told 'Entertainment Tonight' of the job he took over from longtime host Bob Barker in 2007.
Police officer hit by driver of fleeing vehicle in Toronto
York Regional Police say they are continuing to search for a suspect in an auto theft investigation who was captured on video running over a police officer in Toronto last month.