About 25,000 street-level doses of suspected fentanyl were seized last month by North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP, who arrested seven people, including a 38-year-old man from the Fraser Valley.
Grant Giles is charged with four counts of trafficking in a controlled substance and failing to comply with a court order.
Police will also be recommending drug- and firearms-related charges against a 32-year-old Greater Victoria man and a 38-year-old woman from the Cowichan area.
Other drugs, guns — included 3D-printed guns — and more than $240,000 in cash were also seized after searches on March 12 and 19 at three Duncan-area residences and one in Sooke.
West Shore RCMP, the Island District RCMP Emergency Response Team and the Victoria Police Department assisted in the operation.
The searches came after the Street Crime Unit started a multi-jurisdictional investigation dubbed Project ENAIANT in November, targeting mid-level drug activity in the Cowichan Valley.
Seized were about three kilograms of suspected fentanyl, about two kilograms of suspected methamphetamine, about 1.5 kilograms of suspected cocaine, about 40 litres of GHB, a carbine rifle, six handguns (including two 3D-printed nine-millimetre handguns), a 3D printer, body armour, a conducted-energy weapon and more than 400 cartons of illegal cigarettes.
“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,” said Staff Sgt. Deborah Kelly, plainclothes commander for North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP at 250-748-5522.
