1.5 kg of fentanyl seized in drug and firearm investigation by Waterloo Regional Police

Suspected fentanyl worth about $450,000 has been seized by police as part of a lengthy investigation into drug and firearm trafficking in Waterloo region.

Police seized approximately 1.5 kilograms of suspected fentanyl Tuesday as officers executed search warrants at three Kitchener homes, one Kitchener hotel and one Cambridge home.

"In terms of significance, it's the largest single seizure of fentanyl that we've had within our region,"Supt. Patrick Dietrich told CBC News.

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As well, with the assistance of West Grey Police, officers also executed a search warrant in the town of Durham, north of Mount Forest.

There, officers seized approximately 0.5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine, valued at about $40,000.

There were also six firearms, as well as other replica firearms and prohibited weapons seized. Police also located two stolen vehicles, other property determined to be stolen and a quantity of cash.

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"Fentanyl is sold generally at the point level, or the point one gram level, so if you just took that amount, you would be looking at 15-thousand street doses of the drug," Dietrich said.

The drugs will now be sent to Health Canada for testing to confirm it isfentanyl.

Seven people have been charged in relation to the seizures, three women and four men. Those charged range in age from 22 to 46. Five are from Kitchener, one is from Cambridge and one is from Durham.

Police said the investigation is ongoing and more arrests are anticipated.

"Right now,fentanylandopioidsare a significant public safety risk," Dietrich said. "This certainly doesn't mean we're done. We will continue to look at the issue and different targets and we will continue investigating these types of crimes as the information comes available to us."