Five arrests made in connection with suspected synthetic drug lab

VERNON – Police, environmental agencies and a HAZMAT team descended upon a secluded North Okanagan property over the long weekend following the discovery of an alleged drug lab.

Police had already been investigating the Trinity Valley Road property near Enderby for months, but is was reports of shots fired in the area that led police down the long, private driveway Monday. 

Police arrested three men and two women on charges of production of a synthetic drug, stolen property and firearm related offenses. The individuals are expected to appear in court Tuesday.

“Our officers remain at the scene of this rural property while specialized police units and government environmental agencies conduct their investigation of the property,” RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says. “At this time we believe there is no danger or risk to the public from this property.”

The investigation and clean-up is expected to take several days, and police don’t yet know what type of synthetic drugs were being manufactured on the property.

“Synthetic labs can have quite an environmental effect on the properties because these individuals do not dispose of the chemicals in the most favourable fashion. That’s why we’ve called in the environmental agencies,” Molendyk says.

“Some of these things  are very dangerous and that’s why we have a specialized team that goes in.”

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.