Mounties in Surrey have seized a large amount of cocaine and fentanyl as part of a six-month drug investigation, the police force announced Tuesday.
The drug bust includes nearly 4,800 doses of heroin and fentanyl and about 30,000 doses of cocaine.
“This network was preying on those most vulnerable in our community, including those living on 135A Street, and was profiting from the opioid health crisis affecting the entire region,” police said in a statement.
“These drugs would have likely been sold to thousands of different drug users. These seizures will have a significant impact on this criminal network’s ability to distribute illicit drugs.”
Police also seized six guns, body armour, stolen identity cards, cash and three vehicles while executing four search warrants in Surrey, Langley and Delta on Aug. 16 and 17: A 2003 Toyota Camry, 2004 Ford F350 pickup truck, and 2017 Ford Mustang.
Five people are facing a combined 48 charges in connection with the investigation.
Bradley Thomas Antrobus, a 34-year-old Surrey resident, has been charged with two counts of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking and six firearms-related offences.
Trevor Desjarlais, 35, has been charged with 11 counts of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking and seven firearms-related offences.
Reanna Grace Kolakovic, 22, is facing five counts of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Wyatt Kyle Constain, 28, has been charged with six counts of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Constain is a Provincial Tactical Enforcement Priority (PTEP) target. The multi-agency law enforcement group co-ordinates intelligence related to gang and organized crime suspects.
“Our officers have been diligently working behind the scenes developing intelligence and proactively targeting individuals involved in the street level drug trade,” Assistant Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said in the release.
“While this investigation is not tied directly to our ongoing shots fired investigations, these arrests and seizures are part of a wider, long-term effort to reduce the prevalence of drug trafficking in our communities and the resulting violence.”
The RCMP is still searching for Dominic Lastoria, who has been charge with 11 counts of drug trafficking.
The 28-year-old is described as 5-foot-5 and about 60 kilograms, with blond hair, blue eyes and a slender build.
Anyone with information on Lastoria’s whereabouts is asked to contact police at 604-599-0502 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
With files from CTV Vancouver’s Michele Brunoro
Some of the guns and drugs seized by Surrey RCMP during recent search warrants @CTVVancouver pic.twitter.com/TGhro8ZDj5
— Michele Brunoro (@ctv_michele) August 22, 2017
Surrey Mounties also seized these vehicles during the search warrants @CTVVancouver pic.twitter.com/SMrLiK66cU
— Michele Brunoro (@ctv_michele) August 22, 2017