Police link Kelowna fentanyl lab to Calgary

Over the past year, the Calgary Police Service Drug Unit has been working closely with partner agencies to uncover the source of fentanyl pills in the city. While a full-scale operation has yet to be found in Calgary city limits, direct ties have been established to two large operations in Kelowna, B.C.

On Wednesday, March 2, 2016, the Kelowna RCMP wrapped up a significant investigation into a suspected fentanyl trafficking operation. As a result of that investigation, two commercial grade pill presses were located, one of which was coated in green powder suspected to be fentanyl. For more details about the operation, and a list of the items seized, please see the RCMP press release - Fentanyl pill production project a success.

Information obtained during the investigation leads police to believe this drug operation may have shipped as many as 100,000 fentanyl tablets per month to Calgary.

Three Kelowna residents were arrested as part of the operation, along with one man from Calgary. Charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act have not yet been formally laid against the 25-year-old Calgary man. He is expected to appear in Kelowna Law Courts on Thursday, June 9, 2016.

In total, three commercial-grade pill presses have been located in Kelowna in the past five months by Kelowna RCMP.

“Identifying the source of fentanyl pill production in Western Canada is extremely important in the ongoing efforts in relation to the health crisis we are facing in Calgary,” says Staff Sergeant Martin Schiavetta of the Calgary Police Service. “The drug trade crosses many jurisdictions making inter-agency cooperation invaluable.”

The Calgary Police Service would like to thank the Kelowna RCMP for their assistance.