More than 300 grams of fentanyl seized in Charlottetown drug bust

CBC
·1 min read

A 29-year-old man from Stratford, P.E.I., has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking as a result of a drug bust in Charlottetown Friday evening.

Officers seized 339 grams of fentanyl and 1,000 Xanax tablets following an investigation by Charlottetown Police Services' street crime unit, according to a news release.

Police described the seizure as a large quantity of fentanyl with an approximate street value of $170,000.

"It's significant, not only in its street value, but [in] its danger to the public," said Charlottetown police Chief Brad MacConnell. "Fentanyl has proven to be a highly addictive and dangerous and deadly drug ... A small amount can actually kill you."

MacConnell said this was the second-largest fentanyl bust in Prince Edward Island to date. The largest was in February 2023, when RCMP seized 1.6 kilograms from a home in Cornwall, west of Charlottetown.

Charlottetown Police chief Brad MacConnell says that the street crime unit focuses its efforts on mid- to high-level drug dealers in an effort to help keep drugs like fentanyl off the street.
Charlottetown police Chief Brad MacConnell says the force uses busts like this as an opportunity to educate the public about the lethality of drugs like fentanyl. (Laura Meader/CBC)

"We focus our efforts on targeting the groups that are exploiting the vulnerable and making a living selling these dangerous drugs," MacConnell said.

The accused man faces two charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking, one connected to the fentanyl seizure and one over the Xanax. Two cellphones and a vehicle were also seized.

He is in custody pending a court date, which has not yet been scheduled.