Six B. C. men face charges in international drug case
Encrypted phones used to set up ecstasy, cocaine transactions
A police investigation into a multimillion- dollar drug trafficking ring in B. C., California, Mexico and Peru has led to charges being laid against six B. C. men.
The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia investigation began in 2008 following information that Canadians and Americans were using encrypted smartphones to organize drug transactions on an international scale, according to a CFSEU- BC release.
“A number of the accused travelled extensively throughout North and South America, conspiring to buy cocaine and importing it into Canada and then exporting ecstasy into the U. S.,” the release states.
A number of seizures took place over the course of the investigation, including 117,000 ecstasy pills seized in Princeton and more than 200 kilograms of cocaine seized at the Pacific Border Crossing and in Burnaby.
“We took a significant amount of drugs off the streets during this investigation. The cocaine alone represents a street value of over $ 17 million,” said CFSEU- BC spokesperson Sgt. Ghalib Bhayani in the release.
Those charged include Khamla Wong, 42, from Abbotsford; Jeremy Albert, 38, of Langley; Christopher Mehan, 40, of Burnaby; Matthew Higgins, 28, of Powell River; Hernan Veloso, 50, of Vancouver; and Robert Arthur, 32, of Surrey.
Charges include conspiracy to traffic, possession for the purpose of trafficking, conspiracy to import and possession of a firearm. They are due to appear in court in Surrey on Sept. 12.
Wong, who is closely associated with the United Nations gang, remains at large. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.