Delta Police are again warning drug users to “know your source” after drugs seized in a recent bust tested positive for the drug known as W-18.
On March 17, 2016 as part of an investigation initiated by the Delta Police Department Drugs/Special Projects Section, search warrants were executed at three separate locations in Burnaby, Surrey and Richmond. As a result of the search warrants, what was believed to be a fentanyl processing lab was uncovered.
Now, Delta Police are warning drug users to be vigilant after several exhibits seized have tested positive for the much more potent drug W-18.
Chief Constable Neil Dubord said, “The street level use of drugs like W-18 is still in its infancy in Canada and it appears users are completely unaware of its presence in the drugs they are consuming. It is very apparent to us that drug traffickers are aware of the deadly game they are playing with human lives in the manufacture and sale of these counterfeit drugs.
In the seizures done by our investigators, the accused were carefully protecting themselves with respirators, gloves and goggles during the process and yet went on to knowingly sell this product to unsuspecting users. The motivation of these individuals to make money clearly supersedes their social responsibility in this equation.”
Drug investigators believe that the W-18 was being manufactured to appear like heroin or oxycodone before being sold at the street level. For users, this results in a much higher and deadly risk of overdose as they are exposed to a drug they have no tolerance for.
In many cases, users are not aware that W-18 (and/or fentanyl) is in the drug that they are consuming. Because the counterfeit heroin and oxycodone are manufactured in clandestine labs, there is no guarantee that the W-18 or fentanyl is evenly distributed or mixed throughout the cutting agent. This causes street users to face potential overdoses from “hot spots” of fentanyl or W18.
W-18 is a synthetic opioid that was originally developed as a pain reliever in the 1980s but was never marketed commercially. Health Canada has said it considers W-18 to be 100 times more toxic and powerful than fentanyl.
On June 1, 2016 the Government of Canada announced it had added W-18 to Schedule 1 of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, making production, possession, importation, exportation or trafficking of W-18 illegal.
While Delta Police advise against using drugs, for people who choose to use Delta Police are offering the following reminders:
fentanyl and W-18 cannot be detected by looks, smell or taste and are being misrepresented and sold by drug dealers as other drugs;
do not use alone and start with a small amount;
do not mix with other substances as it can increase the risk of overdose;
use where help is easily available;
do not be afraid to call 9-1-1 for assistance.
To date, 5 individuals have been arrested in connection with the Delta Police investigation. 35 year old Scott PIPPING of Surrey and 27 year old Adam SUMMERS from Delta are facing over 20 charges and are still being held in custody.
3 other individuals have also been arrested for various offences including trafficking in a controlled substance with charges against them pending.
