RICHMOND DRUG LAB WAS B.C.'S LARGEST

More Than 100 Kilograms Of Crystal, A Million Pills Seized Last Week

The RCMP say a drug lab discovered in Richmond last week is the
largest-ever ecstasy bust in B.C. and possibly in Canada.

"Over 100 kilos of crystallized product, not in pill form," and 200
kilograms of pressed tablets -- one million pills -- were seized,
Insp. Brian Cantera of the RCMP national drug-enforcement branch said
yesterday.

RCMP raided the home in the 21800-block of River Road June 20.

In addition to the drugs and chemicals used in their manufacture,
police found explosives, nine semi-automatic weapons and two fully
automated presses capable of producing 8,000 to 12,000 pills an hour.

Three days later, a home in the 8400-block of Odlin Crescent was
raided in connection with the River Road lab. It housed a marijuana grow-op.

Richard Susik, 28, Miranda Susik, 29, Robert Rahn, 34, Syvete Rahn,
33, and John Rahberger, 44, are charged with drug offences.

They were not known to police but they are linked to organized crime,
the RCMP allege.

"These people are trusted members within their criminal
organizations," said Cantera.

He would not say which crime group they are linked to.

The one million tablets were to be exported, but Cantera wouldn't say
where they were going because the investigation is continuing abroad.

Canada already has an international reputation for being a "major
source" of cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy and B.C. is at the helm,
said Cantera.

He said there's no indication the super lab is linked to the bust of
a major drug syndicate in Australia earlier this month. Five current
or former B.C. residents were arrested after $80 million worth of
drugs were smuggled from Vancouver.

RCMP Corp. Scott Rintoul said major drug syndicates run their
operations out of Canada because light criminal penalties make it a
"safe haven."

"They choose Canada for a reason," said Rintoul. "Importing heroin,
importing cocaine will get you a lifetime penalty. Importing ecstasy
only gets 10 years."

Rintoul said the only way to stop clandestine drug labs is to toughen
up on the organized-crime groups running them.

"We need to get tougher on organized groups and send them to jail and
seize their assets.

"We're not talking small, addiction-based labs. These are all
economic, which are organized-crime controlled. And it's all about
greed, it's all about money."