Seven people, including one from West Nipissing, are facing charges after the Royal Canadian Mounted Police says it disrupted and dismantled an active synthetic drug lab in Sturgeon Falls.
The RCMP, and its policing partners, seized over $550,000 worth of suspected controlled substances after executing search warrants at multiple locations on June 18.
“The dismantling of this synthetic drug lab is a significant disruption to criminal activity in Ontario,” says Superintendent Chris McGillis, Officer-in-Charge of Criminal Operations, RCMP Federal Policing – Central Region. “By removing these drugs, precursor chemicals and production capabilities from circulation, investigators have helped prevent substantial harm to our communities. This outcome is a testament to the strong partnerships and collaborative efforts of all agencies involved in this investigation.”
Officials say investigators with the RCMP’s Transnational Serious and Organized Crime Unit and the Integrated Synthetic Enforcement Team working in close collaboration with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau and Clandestine Laboratory Investigative Response Team, uncovered a network of individuals operating a clandestine drug laboratory on a property along the Trans-Canada Highway in Sturgeon Falls.
Police say approximately 42 kg of suspected MDMA, 7 kg of suspected methamphetamine, and controlled precursors were seized from the lab.
Subsequent searches, including within three sea-can shipping containers, uncovered an additional 540 kg of suspected controlled precursor chemicals and catalysts commonly used in the production of synthetic drugs.
Along with a 31-year-old Sturgeon Falls resident, those facing charges include residents of Markham, Nobleton, Niagara Falls (2 people), Scarborough, and Longueuil, Quebec.
“Synthetic drug labs present significant safety concerns and require specialized investigative and response capabilities,” says OPP Chief Superintendent Mike Stoddart, Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau. “Through the expertise of the investigators involved, this laboratory was safely dismantled, preventing further production and reducing the risks associated with these dangerous substances. The success of this operation reflects the strength of intelligence sharing and coordinated enforcement efforts between policing partners.”
