Two men who were well known to police are facing drug and firearms charges after search warrants were executed on the south side of Chilliwack Friday.
Police seized two vehicles, about four kilograms of cocaine, 200 grams of heroin, 3.5 kg of marijuana, two sawed-off shotguns, a rifle, a handgun, cash and drug paraphernalia.
There was more than $130,000 in cash seized which made it “one of the largest” cash seizures ever in Chilliwack, said Supt. Deanne Burleigh of Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment.
“This is significant and (the raid) has made a significant impact into the quantity of drugs and weapons that are on our streets locally,” Burleigh said.
UFVRD’s Crime Reduction unit supported by Serious Crime members conducted the investigation and led the raids in the 5400-block of Peach Road and 5800-block of Sappers Way on Aug. 18.
It won’t be known how much of the illegal drugs were cut with fentanyl until the lab analyses are completed.
“The consequences of the use of fentanyl are deadly,” said Supt. Burleigh. “We are having overdoses in our community to as far west as Vancouver.”
Lucas Benjamin Thiessen, 23, is facing one charge of trafficking a controlled substance, two charges of possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and two charges of possessing a firearm without a licence. Thiessen remains in custody.
A B.C.-wide warrant was issued for Antonio Dillan Nolasco-Padia, 21, who was released from custody, but with further investigation now faces a charge of possessing a controlled substance for the purposes of trafficking.
Thiessen was also in the news in February 2016, when he was arrested as part of a lengthy investigation into a drug-trafficking ring in northern B.C. His charges stemmed from a February 2015 search of two properties in Chilliwack that resulted in the arrest of four males and one female. The search of two residences and three storage lockers turned up eight firearms, prohibited magazines, silencers, and more than $200,000 in cash. Also seized was over $2 million dollars worth of drugs, which included a large quantity of fentanyl.
That case is still before the courts.
