Explosives, weapons seized just as B.C. drug lab about to start operation, police say

SURREY — British Columbia’s gang squad says it has uncovered what would have been a sophisticated illicit drug production organization, seizing large quantities of drugs, dozens of firearms and 65 cubes of commercial explosives.

RCMP Sgt. Sarbjit Sangha, with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, said Wednesday that the discovery of explosives is especially disturbing because they are strictly regulated in Canada and only available to authorized blasting companies.

“They cannot be legally purchased, possessed, stored, or used by a member of the general public. The presence of these explosives, alongside illegal firearms and sophisticated drug lab, significantly elevated the public safety concerns associated with this investigation,” Sangha said during a news conference.

The drug lab was under construction and hadn’t yet started producing illicit drugs. Photos taken of the lab show clean, plywood benches with a large cooking pot, an industrial sink, numerous empty buckets and large chemistry flasks along a wall with tubes or wires coming from each.

Police said they used warrants in May to search locations in Abbotsford, Surrey and Enderby.

In addition to the weapons discovered on a rural property in Abbotsford, police found a long list of drugs, including two kilos each of fentanyl and methamphetamine, 64 litres of GHB, cocaine, heroin, MDMA, oxycodone and benzodiazepine.

“Ultimately, the success of this investigation is measured by what you see here seized. It is measured what was prevented. A sophisticated synthetic drug lab never became operational. Dangerous drugs never entered our communities,” Sangha said.

She said the prohibited weapons were privately made and they also found 11 suppressors and overcapacity bullet magazines.

Four people have been arrested and have been released pending completion of the investigation.

Sangha said they could face firearms and drug-production charges.

She said she couldn’t comment on which criminal organization the suspects belong to but added that they are known to police and have criminal records.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 29, 2026.

The Canadian Press