Massive drug bust in Halifax ‘not even in the realm’ of past seizures: police

Halifax Regional Police (HRP) say they’ve made what’s believed to be the largest seizure of fentanyl and GHB in Atlantic Canada.

The seizure included 6.2 kg of fentanyl, an additional 1,400 fentanyl pills, 10.5 litres of GHB — commonly known as the date rape drug — and 96 packages of cannabis gummies.

Police displayed the seized drugs for media on Wednesday.

“It is not even in the realm of what we’ve seized in the past,” said Staff Sgt. Nick Pepler from HRP’s Special Enforcement Section.

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Three people aged 43, 43, and 73 have been charged after a search of a home on Elmwood Avenue in Dartmouth on Sept. 4.

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Police say they believe the drugs were being held for trafficking and had not been sold or consumed by anyone.

The bulk street value of the fentanyl is about $500,000 and the bulk street value of the GHB is approximately $5,000, police added.

Glock switch seized ‘extremely concerning’

In addition to the narcotics, police seized a Glock switch, which is an illegal attachment for a handgun, at the residence.

“For those not familiar with the Glock switch, that’s easily adapted into a handgun … and now creates that gun to be fully automatic like a machine gun,” said Pepler.

“Seeing a Glock switch here is extremely concerning. A fully automatic weapon on the street of Halifax is a concern for anybody in this room or anybody in the community. And I feel like this seizure is unique and hopefully not a trend, but I guess further investigations and searches will tell us that.”

According to police, the drugs were likely brought into the region through organized crime, and investigators don’t believe the three people charged were acting alone.

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However, a criminology expert says the quantity of drugs and the Glock switch suggests “this is a fairly well-organized distribution point.”

Criminology professor Stephen Schneider from Saint Mary’s University, says it was only a matter of time before fentanyl quantities of this size arrived in Nova Scotia.

“The traffickers will create demand, they will search for new markets and ones that are profitable,” he said.

He says this is part of a broader trend of drugs making their way to Atlantic Canada, including cocaine.

“Nova Scotia has always been seen just as a transit point for cocaine and now it’s being seen as a market,” he said.

“So we’re getting cocaine from Mexico through the U.S. through Ontario and all the way to Nova Scotia.”

Meanwhile, police say the seizure is a reminder of the dangers of illicit drugs and urge users to be cautious.

“When you use illicit drugs, there’s a real possibility that that drug could be laced with other substances like fentanyl, increasing the risk of overdose, serious injury, and/or death,” said Pepler.