Grenade, AR-15-style rifle seized during $31-million drug bust

Hamilton police say they have dismantled a significant" fentanyl-production operation inside a Beamsville residence, where investigators found more than $31 million in drugs and weapons, including an AR-15-style rifle and a grenade.

When detectives, led by the vice and drug unit, found a grenade-shaped object wrapped in packaging, they had to clear the property and call in the explosives experts from the emergency response unit, said Det. Peter Hall. They X-rayed the object, confirming it was a grenade before it was safely removed.

It's the first grenade I've ever seized," he said, adding that he's taken part in hundreds and hundreds" of warrants over his career.

The explosion risk to the surrounding community was serious, he said, adding that it's unclear if temperature changes or the transport of the grenade to the property could have led to detonation.

The grenade wasn't the only safety hazard police found, among the drugs was 1.5 kilograms of what police believe to be pure fentanyl (carfentanil). If cooked with a cutting agent at the typical 100:1 ratio that could equal 140 grams of street-ready fentanyl, Hall said.

Officers had to wear protective equipment, including masks, because the drugs were so strong.

The bust was part of 14 guns seized by police in a recent spate in just 12 days, police announced this week. The investigations ranged from patrol officers to investigative units.

The significant gun seizures highlight the growing problem of more guns in the hands of criminals in Hamilton and surrounding communities, police say.

The proliferation of guns in our community poses an increased safety risk for our officers and the public," said Supt. Martin Schulenberg.

In this case, Hall said the investigation began a couple of months ago with a drug-trafficking investigation in Hamilton. It led detectives to the address in Niagara Region, where police allege drugs were being manufactured and sold in large amounts. The drugs were being sold around the Golden Horseshoe, Hall said.

Inside the Beamsville residence police found:

• An AR-15-style, long-arm rifle;

• two handguns;

• ammunition;

• two kilograms of very pure" cocaine;

• 3.5 kg of cooked purple fentanyl;

• 1.5 kg of what police believe to be pure fentanyl (carfentanil) that police have sent to Health Canada for testing;

• 12 kg of packaged cutting agent, two mobile setups for cooking fentanyl and other evidence that fentanyl was being made street-ready, including grinders, pots, measuring tools, dye;

• and approximately $50,000 to $56,000 in bundled cash.

Two people were arrested and charged. They face multiple charges, including possession of cocaine and fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking and production of fentanyl.

Hall said the weapons on-site, which were not stored properly or legally owned, were directly tied to the drug-trafficking operation.

They weren't the type of firearm used in farming ... they were not there to kill coyotes and foxes," he said.

Hall said the amount of drugs seized was significant," but he also noted that police are seeing more and more of this kind of scale."

Police don't know exactly how long the operation was running, but likely for some time given it's size. It's unclear where the suspected pure fentanyl came from, but typically it comes from overseas, often China, to be cooked and packaged here. Although, Hall said police are seeing more cases of domestic production.

This case isn't tied to any wider or ongoing projects. The investigation is complete and the case is now before the courts.

Nicole O'Reilly is a crime and justice reporter at The Spectator. noreilly@thespec.com