CANADA'S $500 MILLION DRUG BUS EXPOSES KHALISTANIS' GANG TIES

With synthetic drugs flooding both the domestic and international markets, for the Sikh community in Canada, these incidents underscore a troubling pattern of gang recruitment targeting a section of their youth,

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

The bust of a Canadian "super-lab" used for mass drug production, along with the arrest of suspect Gaganpreet Randhawa, has underscored the vast reach of drug networks in Canada and the extensive criminal infrastructure supporting drug manufacturing and distribution.

The 25 October operation, which targeted a sprawling drug lab in Falkland, British Columbia, led to the seizure of unprecedented quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and other illegal drugs, along with an arsenal of loaded firearms and explosives.

Officials from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) described the lab as the most sophisticated ever seen in the country, estimating the dismantling costs alone at over $1 million. They believe organized crime groups with international ties orchestrated the operation to supply Canada and lucrative overseas markets.

While Randhawa, a person of Indian origin, will be presented before the court on 14 November, it is suspected that he is just a foot soldier for the drug cartel that was running this lab which was located east of Kamloops in the rural community of Falkland.

Investigators seized 54 kilograms of fentanyl, 390 kilograms of methamphetamine, 35 kilograms of cocaine, 15 kilograms of MDMA, and 89 firearms, including assault rifles, submachine guns, and silencers, highlighting the criminal syndicate's readiness for armed conflict.

The staggering quantities of drugs are estimated to be worth nearly $500 million, with methamphetamine likely destined for markets in Australia and New Zealand, where demand and street prices remain high.