RCMP Shuts Down Major Drug Lab; Critics Warn of Rising Overdoses & Crime

On 25 Oct, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) dismantled Canada’s largest and most sophisticated drug ‘superlab’ in British Columbia, delivering a decisive blow to a major transnational organized crime group. Indian-origin businessman Gaganpreet Singh Randhawa was arrested during the raid in Falkland, British Columbia. The lab was equipped with advanced facilities to produce large quantities of illicit drugs, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, intended for both Canadian and international distribution. The fentanyl alone could have produced over 95M lethal doses, with an estimated value of $349M. Assistant Commissioner David Teboul described the seizure as ‘unprecedented’ in Canada. Randhawa is currently in custody and has been charged with numerous drug and firearms-related offenses. The RCMP considers this operation a historic milestone in its battle against organized drug syndicates. While this is being lauded as a massive blow to organized crime in Canada, the Surrey Union of Drug Users’ Research Committee and Police Oversight with Evidence and Research at the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users group repeatedly criticized media reporting on drug busts, urging journalists to avoid uncritical repetition of police narratives. They argue that focusing solely on police perspectives, especially during an ongoing public health emergency is dangerous and misguided. The group highlights that separating individuals from their known drug sources without providing support leads to increased street prices, rise in crime, and higher risks of overdose. Raids like these are also followed by gang wars – with a number of Panjabi’s being killed over the years, without any solution to address the root of the problem.