Canada’s largest drug ‘super lab’ seized with record amounts of fentanyl, chemicals and weapons

Canadian police on Thursday dismantled the country’s largest and most sophisticated illegal drug “super lab,” saying they seized “a record number of illegal firearms, synthetic drugs and precursor chemicals.”

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they believe organized crime was running the operation, where the mass production and distribution took place fentanyl and methamphetamine across Canada and internationally.

Last week, police executed search warrants at a drug lab in Falkland, British Columbia, and related locations in Surrey County in Metro Vancouver. RCMP published several photos operation, showing officers in hazmat suits retrieving items from the “super lab.”

Police said they seized 54 kilograms of fentanyl, a “massive” amount precursor chemicals390 kilograms of methamphetamine and smaller amounts of cocaine, MDMA and cannabis.

They also found a total of 89 firearms, including handguns, AR-15-style rifles and submachine guns, “many of which were loaded and ready to go.” They also found small explosive devices, ammunition, silencers, high-capacity magazines, body armor and C$500,000 (US$359,000) in cash.

Investigators said the suspect, Gaganpreet Randhawa, was arrested and is being held on multiple drug and firearms charges.

“This is clearly a major blow to the transnational organized crime groups involved and a great step towards keeping Canadians and the international community safe,” said Gillian Wellard, Federal Police Officer in Charge, Pacific Region.

According to the Canadian government, fentanyl is the main ingredient in most of the toxic illicit drugs that killed nearly 48,000 people across Canada between January 2016 and March 2024.

The bust comes in about two weeks This is reported by the Canadian police made arrests related to another transnational organized crime group. The RCMP said they worked with the FBI for more than a year to uncover a criminal network linked to a Mexican cartel that transported large amounts of methamphetamine and cocaine from Central and South America through the United States to Canada and abroad.

Canadian authorities said the ring also ordered murders across North America and laundered significant amounts of money. The alleged ringleader, Canadian Ryan Wedding, remains at large and is wanted by the United States and Canada, authorities said.