Cocaine, cash, fake OxyContin seized, 5 arrested in Yellowknife

Yellowknife RCMP have seized large amounts of drugs and arrested 2 B.C. men following a six-month investigation, and seized more drugs and arrested 3 more people in a parallel investigation.

"I think we basically hit the head of the network," saidSgt. DeanRiouof the G Division Federal Investigations Unit, who also said that police havenoted the continuing trend of people temporarily setting up residence in Yellowknife to sell drugs. "A lot of times we have difficulty targeting at that high level. In this case, we found an investigative opportunity that we were able to follow up on."

A search of a residence in the Frame Lake area and a storage facilityturned up 593 counterfeit OxyContin, 557 grams of crack cocaine, 180 grams of powder cocaine, 536 grams of marijuana, 1.6 kilograms of Phenacetin, alsoknown as "Superbuff," and 700 grams of an unknown white powder believed to be a cocaine cutting agent.

The search also turned up two guitars stolen in a previous break and enter, a money counter and $200,000 in cash.

A 23-year-old man from Vancouver is facing multiple charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of stolen property, possession of the proceeds of crime and breach of probation related to a previous charge of cocaine trafficking.

A 47-year-old man from Burnaby, B.C., faces similar charges, minus the breach of probation.

Both are next scheduled to appear in court April 20.

2nd investigation nets $19K, more drugs

In a separate, but parallel, investigation, RCMP searched another residence in the Frame Lake area where they found $19,000 in cash, 40 grams of marijuana, 27 Percocet pills and cocaine residue.

Three Yellowknife men, aged 19 and21, were arrested and charged.

One is scheduled to appear in court on April 20; the other two on June 23.