Kelowna – Police are recommending multiple charges against a man and a woman after seizing several items as a result of an international drug seizure conducted in the city earlier this month.
On December 11, 2015, members of the Kelowna RCMP Drug Section became aware of a shipment which originated overseas and was destined for a Kelowna address. The shipment contained what investigators believe to be one hundred (100) litres of Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL), a precursor for the controlled substance Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB).
On December 16, 2015, the Kelowna RCMP Drug Section investigated an address associated to the suspicious package located on the 400 block of Neave Court in Kelowna. During the investigation a man and a woman were arrested for importing a class (A) precursor and taken into custody without incident.
On December 17, 2015 police returned to execute a search warrant at the property. The search yielded an industrial grade pill press, which investigators say showed signs of use as it was believed to be heavily contaminated with Fentanyl, and a loaded short barrel shotgun.
“Police estimate that this shipment had the potential to produce as many as 20,000 doses of GHB for an approximate street value of $200,000,” says Cst. Jesse O’Donaghey. “The pre cursor materials seized by police posed a potentially significant public safety risk had they made it out in the community.”
“Our investigators took the necessary cautionary steps while handling the equipment believed to be contaminated with Fentanyl due to the substances high level of toxicity,” adds O’Donaghey.
As a result of this investigation a 22-year-old Kelowna woman and a 28-year-old West Kelowna man each face potential charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of importing a schedule six (6) substance, production for the purpose of trafficking, possession for the purpose of trafficking, as well as possession and unsafe storage of a firearm.
Both were released from police custody and are expected to appear in Court on March 21, 2016.