POLICE DISPLAY MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR DRUG HAUL

GREATER VANCOUVER - A recent Richmond drug lab haul of millions of
dollars worth of ecstasy and methamphetamine shows how serious the
rise in synthetic drugs in Canada is, RCMP Sgt. Scott Rintoul said
Tuesday.

Surrounded by a stacks of purple and pink ecstasy pills, little
street-ready bags of crystal meth and dozens of larger bags of
methamphetamine, ecstasy powder, tins of acetone and dozens of
packages of baking soda, Rintoul said the public is naive about the
extent to which synthetic drugs are being produced here.

"This large seizure of MDMA, ecstasy and methamphetamines illustrates
the fact that we are in an era of synthetic drugs not just in Canada
but worldwide," Rintoul said.

Police from three jurisdictions were involved in executing five search
warrants last week in Richmond, Burnaby and Vancouver, plus the
discovery of a sophisticated meth lab at ### Raymond Av. in Richmond.

Cpl. Peter Thiessen, of Richmond RCMP, said the original tip about the
lab, which contained nine pill presses, came from a neighbour back in
the middle of 2005.

Seven people have been charged in connection with the raids, but all
have since been released on bail, Thiessen said.

He said the drug seizures, as well as a number of weapons also
confiscated in the raids, are "evidence of what can and is occurring
in our communities."

Ceremonial Asian swords, knives, bullet-proof vests and an imitation
firearm seized last week were also on display.

Rintoul, who heads the drug awareness program at the RCMP's E
Division, said ecstasy is the second most popular drug in B.C. behind
marijuana.