The Sunshine Coast RCMP Street Crew made a major drug bust last week when a clandestine lab was discovered in Roberts Creek.
On Jan. 20, the owner of a rental property on Hwy. 101 in Roberts Creek contacted police, who located the lab in the basement of a garage on the property.
Police attended and confirmed it was an ecstasy lab and contacted the E Division Clandestine Lab Team to assist in the operation.Members of the E Division team, a chemist from Health Protection Branch and RCMP Ident Services arrived on scene shortly after the call to begin their investigation and dismantle the lab.
B.C. Ambulance paramedics and members of the Roberts Creek Fire Department were also on scene, with the fire department assisting the E Division team in decontamination procedures and standing by in the event of an emergency.
Const. Andy Cook said no suspects were at the scene when police arrived, although police are seeking suspects in connection to the lab. As of press time Thursday afternoon, no arrests had been made.
"During the search, police located a medium-sized ecstasy lab, capable of producing kilogram-sized batches of ecstasy," Cook said.
Police seized numerous pieces of laboratory equipment, including heating mantles, flasks, separatory funnels, condensing columns, vacuum filtration units and beakers. Police also seized a large variety of unknown liquids and chemical precursors used in the manufacture of ecstasy, including safrole, dill seed oil, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, sodium borohydride, methylene chloride and other acids and bases.
"Much of the equipment located in this lab was laboratory grade equipment likely purchased from chemical/pharmaceutical companies, and many of the chemicals seized were likely purchased from chemical companies as well," Cook added. "We are attempting to determine who purchased these pieces of equipment and chemicals as part of our investigation."
Cook said many of the chemicals found in the lab are strong acids and bases that can result in burns if handled or respiratory distress if inhaled.
"Some of the chemicals and solvents are flammable, such as isopropyl alcohol. And some, such as sodium borohydride, ignite when they come in contact with water," Cook said. "The wrong combination of chemicals can also result in the production of harmful gases and vapours, which can cause breathing difficulty, eye and skin irritation or even death."
The environmental hazards from clandestine labs can be severe. For every pound of final product, there are approximately five to six pounds of waste produced, added Cook.
"As clandestine labs are an illegal activity, the waste is usually dumped into the environment to avoid detection from the police," he said. "The acids, bases and other chemicals make their way into streams and watersheds, causing serious environmental problems."
Clandestine labs are becoming more common in Canada and on the Sunshine Coast.
Since 2003, local RCMP have located two weed oil labs, a methamphetamine lab, a gamma hydroxy butyrate lab and an ecstasy lab.
The lab discovered last week in Roberts Creek was the second drug lab found by a landlord. A landlord in Sechelt found a methamphetamine lab last June.
"Police urge landlords to check their rental properties often as it will deter criminals from using their land or buildings for these types of activities," said Cook.
"Clandestine labs can leave contamination and permanent damage to buildings, leaving owners with large cleanup costs. In the case of the meth lab discovered last year in Sechelt, the Health Authority has condemned the building because the chemical and moisture saturation in the house is such that it would be dangerous for anyone to live inside the building.
"The suspects in this particular case were dumping the chemical waste into the septic system. The septic system will have to be removed and replaced, and there is a possibility that the septic tank may have leaked, leading to further costs and clean up at the expense of the owner."
Cook said in the past few years there has been increased enforcement in relation to clandestine labs in B.C., and people producing these chemical drugs are beginning to move to smaller communities such as the Coast to avoid police scrutiny.
"Chemical drugs have become increasingly popular over the past few years, and the increased demand for drugs such as meth, ecstasy and GHB has led to a corresponding increase in the number of labs being located," Cook said.
"Recipes for these drugs are easily located on the Internet, and stats from the U.S. indicate that one 'cook' will teach approximately 10 others how to make drugs every year."
RCMP are requesting the ongoing assistance of the public to locate and target clandestine labs. If you have information, please contact police at 604-885-2266.
