Significant items seized in national operation targeting fentanyl

OTTAWA, ON, Feb. 26, 2025 /CNW/ - From December 9, 2024 to January 18, 2025, the Canadian Integrated Response to Organized Crime (CIROC) Committee composed of Federal, Provincial and Municipal law enforcement agencies, conducted a national sprint aimed at disrupting illegal fentanyl production and distribution in Canada.

This initiative enabled Canadian law enforcement across the country to coordinate and execute enforcement actions targeting fentanyl and synthetic opioids. As well as targeting the production and distribution of illicit substances, the operation aimed to dismantle criminal networks and target the supply of chemical precursors.

During the sprint, Canadian law enforcement reported 489 occurrences related to fentanyl and synthetic opioids, which resulted in 524 arrests and the seizure of large quantities of drugs and other commodities, including but not limited to:

• 46.17 kg of fentanyl;
• 15,765 pills of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids (benzimidazole, izonitazene, hydromorphone and oxycodone);
• 44.70 kg and 973 pills of Methamphetamine;
• 29.61 kg of Cocaine;
• 122 firearms;
• $813,954.27 cash (CAD); and
• 33 stolen vehicles.

A number of investigations launched prior to and during the sprint remain active.

Combatting the critical threat to public health and public safety posed by the presence of these substances in the illegal drug supply remains a key priority for Canada.

The operation was an opportunity to demonstrate the cohesion and dedication of Canada's law enforcement agencies at all three levels of government to counter the production and distribution of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in the country.

The Canadian Law Enforcement Strategy on Organized Crime (the CLES) was established by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police in 2007 and resulted in the launch of the Canadian Integrated Response to Organized Crime (CIROC). CIROC continues to leverage the national threat assessments and related intelligence produced by Criminal Intelligence Service Canada. 

CIROC's coalition of operational officers come from all jurisdictional levels and include federal government sectors having an operational enforcement mandate as well as support agencies. At this time, CIROC is co-chaired by the RCMP and the Sûreté du Québec and comprises representatives from each of the ten (10) Provinces (federal, provincial, municipal), one representative from the Territories, and includes: the RCMP, Criminal Intelligence Service Canada, the Combined Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia, Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT), Vancouver Police Department, Edmonton Police Service, Saskatoon Police Service, Calgary Police Service, Winnipeg Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Toronto Police Service, Halton Regional Police, Peel Regional Police, York Regional Police, Sûreté du Québec, Service de police de la Ville de Montréal, Halifax Regional Police, Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, Canada Border Services Agency, and Canada Revenue Agency.

CIROC's members focus their efforts on addressing organized crime groups, their networks, their enablers and their commodities, promoting unity of effort between the jurisdictions and sectors through the trusted exchange of information, capabilities, techniques and plans. 

Partnerships

The RCMP leveraged established Federal Serious and Organized Crime (FSOC) teams across Canada to ensure the safety and security of Canadians and their institutions through the investigation and disruption of significant threats, including organized crime networks, in conjunction with municipal, federal, and international partners.

Through the National Chemical Precursor Diversion Program, the RCMP works with Canadian stakeholders to prevent the distribution of precursors and essential chemicals from legitimate industry to illicit drug production as well as operates Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement and Response (CLEAR) teams across Canada, which target organized crime groups involved in the production of illegal substances, and provide specialized support to local law enforcement in detecting and dismantling clandestine drug laboratories.

If you have any information related to illegal activities, or suspect that illegal activities are taking place in your community, please report it to your local police.

Link: https://rcmp.ca/en/news/2025/02/significant-items-seized-national-operation-targeting-fentanyl 

SOURCE Royal Canadian Mounted Police Media Relations and Issues Management

Contact information: RCMP Media Relations, 613-843-5999, [email protected]