Winnipeg police make 1st major fentanyl-trafficking arrest
Drugs seized after man, woman arrested on St. Anne's Road on Tuesday
Winnipeg police say they have made their first major arrest related to the sale of fentanyl, after two people were arrested and roughly 160 grams of the drug was seized this week.
A 36-year-old man and 33-year-old woman were arrested the 200 block of St. Anne's Road on Tuesday, following a investigation into the sale of fentanyl.
The two were passengers in a taxicab at the time of their arrest, Const. Eric Hofley told CBC News.
Officers seized 81 grams of fentanyl powder and six fentanyl pills, which weighed about 80 grams. Police also seized the following:
- 25 hydromorphone pills.
- Five Restoril pills, which are normally used to treat insomnia.
- $17,455 in Canadian currency.
- Drug paraphernalia.
"I'm not aware of any recent arrests of that quantity of fentanyl. Certainly it has been in the media and several deaths attributed to it out west, and we're starting to see it here more and more," Hofley said Wednesday.
"Our investigators are doing whatever they can to get the fentanyl off the streets, and this certainly goes a long way of doing that."
The pair has been charged with possessing a scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking fentanyl, hydromorphone and Restoril, along with possession of the proceeds of property obtained by crime.
Hofley said the pair is known to police.
Court documents obtained by CBC News show that both the man and woman were sentenced to six months behind bars in 2014 of possessing drugs for the purpose of trafficking.
The woman was also convicted in 2009 of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking. As well, she has been convicted of theft under $5,000 and failing to comply with court and probation orders.
The man has previous convictions dating back to 2007 for breaking and entering, uttering threats, theft under $5,000, fleeing from a peace officer and failing to comply with court and probation orders.