SURREY, Canada (Diya TV) — Gaganpreet Singh Randhawa, an Indian-origin man, was arrested by Canadian authorities in what is described as the country’s largest illegal drug lab bust. The Surrey RCMP said they uncovered a facility for producing illegal drugs inside a complex facility and have seized more than 450 kilograms of fentanyl and methamphetamine, along with other illicit substances. Those drugs, officials say likely had a street value into the millions, and removal represents a major disruption in the illegal narcotics trade for Canada.
The bust forms part of an ongoing investigation into large-scale drug operations increasingly tied to organized crime. Law enforcement described the facility as a “super lab” capable of mass-producing synthetic drugs, primarily fentanyl and methamphetamine, which have been linked to the escalating opioid crisis in North America.
The arrest by Randhawa is a historic milestone in the fight against drug trafficking in British Columbia. Surrey, in the Greater Vancouver area, is one of the hot spots for gang-related drug activities, and this operation had been alleged to supply drugs across provincial and international borders.
RCMP officials report that their investigation is on-going with the possibility of more arrests as the authorities track more suspects and other connections leading to larger networks of drugs. According to law enforcement, the disruption of this operation will, in the long run, reduce availability of harmful synthetic drugs on Canada’s streets.
The public health implications of this bust have also been noted by the authorities because, again, fentanyl contributes to overdose deaths nationwide. Enforcements both within law and health agencies are working on combing through illegal production and distribution.
The RCMP said the successful arrest is due to a good collaboration of agencies. The agency also pointed out that the operation serves to demonstrate how effective interagency efforts can be in addressing organized crime and large-scale drug trafficking.
