(Montreal) The Montreal police began on Wednesday morning the dismantling of a network of production and distribution of synthetic drugs.
The Organized Crime Division of the Montreal Police Service (SPVM) specifies that a dozen searches were underway in the early morning in Montreal, Lanaudière, Mauricie, the Laurentians and Ontario.
Nearly 300 police officers are taking part in the operation, with the support of officers from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ), the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP) and Health Canada. The investigation also benefited from the support of several specialized SPVM units.
These searches stem from an investigation initiated last year by the Antigang team of the SPVM’s Organized Crime Division. The police investigation revealed that some of the drugs produced by the network had been sold in Montreal, Quebec and on the North Shore.
Among the synthetic drugs most frequently encountered on the illicit market are methamphetamine, ecstasy, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and ketamine.
A report on the operation, including details of the searches and arrests carried out, will be provided by the SPVM at the end of the day, Wednesday.