Burnaby fentanyl bust yields more arrests, photos of filthy lab
'They would have recipes on their cupboards in yellow sticky memos, just like you would with baked bread'
Two more men have been arrested in connection with an eight month, multi-location drug investigation dubbed "Project Starboard."
A 34-year-old Delta man and a 25-year-old Richmond man have been taken into custody with multiple drug charges pending. Their names have not been released.
On March, 18 police busted a large drug processing lab in a Burnaby residence where police say fentanyl was being cut with heroin and other fillers.
Photos of the lab released today show a filthy kitchen cluttered with drugs, chemicals, scales, blenders, and mixing instructions written on post-it notes.
"They would have recipes on their cupboards in yellow sticky memos, just like you would with baked bread or muffins," said Chief Constable Neil Dubord of the Delta Police. "They would add recipes together and mix it in bullet blenders."
Search warrants were also executed in Richmond and Surrey, leading to the March arrests of Scott Pipping of Surrey and Adam Summers of Richmond, who remain in custody. Twenty-one charges have been recommended against them with more charges coming.
Police say a huge amount of drugs and cash have been seized in Project Starboard, including:
- Approximately 4.5 kg heroin.
- Approximately 12 kg cocaine.
- Over 4,500 oxycodone/Oxycontin pills.
- Over 1 kg of methamphetamine.
- 125 grams of fentanyl.
- Nine firearms (and 2 silencers/suppressors).
- Over 1.5 million in cash.
- Over 100 kilograms of cutting agents.
Last month, the province declared a public health emergency because of drug-related deaths. Over 200 overdose deaths so far this year have been traced back to fentanyl.
Police expect to make more arrests related to Project Starboard.
With files from Farrah Merali