3 from Ontario charged in what Charlottetown police call 'record' drug bust

Charlottetown police say officers seized a huge amount of drugs, including crystal methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine, after arresting three people Monday. 

Police said in a news release that officers conducted a targeted traffic stop in the city Monday afternoon and arrested one man and two women. 

Shortly after the arrests, the force's tactical response team executed a search warrant at a residence in Stratford. 

There, officers seized 2.8 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, 1 kilogram of fentanyl and 763 grams of cocaine, along with $5,800 in cash and several cell phones. 

Charlottetown police said in the news release that the street value of the drugs seized is an estimated $665,000.

Charlottetown police say drug seizure tied to 3 arrests is a big win for the public

11 hours ago

Duration 1:35

Charlottetown Police have seized what they’re calling their largest-ever amount of fentanyl and crystal meth in a single bust. The city's police chief says the seizure Monday, after three people from Ontario were arrested in a targeted traffic stop, will help them keep dangerous and illegal drugs away from Prince Edward Islanders. CBC's Connor Lamont reports.

"A seizure of those amounts… we certainly are reminded of the supply of drugs that continue to be on our streets, but also the demand for those drugs," Charlottetown police Chief Brad MacConnell told CBC News.

"They're very addictive and harmful drugs that can ruin people's lives, so to get them off the streets is very important, but also the arrest of the individuals responsible… is also important." 

The three people arrested are a 21-year-old man and two 23-year-old women, who are all believed to be from Ontario. 

Each will face three charges of possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking. The man is also charged with breach of probation, while one of the women is charged with failure to comply with a release order.  

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They will all remain in custody until an appearance in provincial court, the release said. 

MacConnell said Charlottetown police have contacted authorities in Ontario to get background information on the accused and determine whether they have any links to organized crime. 

Crystal meth is a highly addictive synthetic stimulant. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin, and it can be even more dangerous when drug dealers mix it with other substances. 

'Record seizure'

The release notes that the total amount of drugs seized in this bust is a "record seizure" in the province.

What was believed to be the largest seizure in the Island's history before this happened in February 2023, when RCMP seized 1.6 kilograms of fentanyl from a home in Cornwall, west of Charlottetown.

Last June, Charlottetown police made their second-largest bust at the time when they seized 339 grams of fentanyl. Police said the approximate street value of that seizure was $170,000.