Parody packaging contained THC-laced candies with dangerously high levels of the additive, according to RCMP, after busts in Port Alberni and north of Nanaimo in early October. (RCMP)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

big operation

Cannabis-laced candies, illegal cigarettes seized by federal RCMP in Lantzville & Port Alberni

Oct 29, 2024 | 9:21 AM

NANAIMO — Over 100,000 cannabis-laced food items, hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, illegal cigarettes, weapons, vehicles and other drugs have been seized by RCMP following busts earlier this month.

Federal Mounties with the Pacific Region RCMP executed a pair of search warrants on Oct. 3, targeting Coastal Storm Dispensary in Snaw-Naw-As, along with a similar store in Port Alberni, discovering professionally packaged, THC-laced candies designed to look like popular store brand sweets.

Spokesperson Cpl. Aresh Seyed told NanaimoNewsNOW the investigation started as one looking into the trafficking of contraband cigarettes.

“Our investigators discovered over 120,000 of these counterfeit chocolate candy bars, potato chips and what-not that are laced with unknown quantities of THC and they were produced in very unsanitary locations within trailers with a lot of cross-contamination.”

Seyed noted methamphetamine was present in some locations where items were packaged.

bonus hockey

Plante plays OT hero as Clippers cap Caps in school day game

8h ago

serious fire

Occupant missing following severe south Nanaimo house fire

10h ago

severe storm

'It's a significant event:' Multi-day power outages expected in Nanaimo and across mid-Island

14h ago

In addition to the stores, police also raided an adjacent storage facility next to Coastal Storm Dispensary in Snaw-Naw-As, as well as “a suspected stash site” in Port Alberni.

A pair of modular trailers which served as production facilities, according to RCMP, were also raided.

Over three kilograms of psilocybin mushrooms, 1,740 capsules and more than 400 chocolates were also found, as well as 500 pounds of cannabis bud and other drug-related items.

A wide array of misleading packaging was found to contain THC-laced candies during a series of busts by federal police in early October. (RCMP)

Seyed said it appears the operation took existing candies, chips and other snack items, then altered and repackaged them.

“They took these chocolate candy bars, edibles then dipped them and sprayed them and did all kinds of things to them and packaged them in these wrappings that look quite professional but in fact they’re just purchased from overseas and used as packaging.”

Brands inlucde “Reefer’s” designed to mimick Reese’s, “Stoneo” in an Oreo package design, as well as “KushKat” to resemble KitKat.

Police noted some packaging claimed to have medicinal properties, as well as “dangerously high drug potency values”.

Six people were arrested, but not yet charged and an investigation is ongoing.

Seyed said penalties will likely come in the form of both regulatory sanctions for the businesses, along with Criminal Code charges.

He said the businesses in question were “unsanctioned and unlicensed”.

“These products are not approved…by the province, so there’s the trafficking end of it. There were thousands of contraband tobacco cigarettes that were located as well, so those fall under criminal code offences.”

Seyed added with Halloween just two days away, parents and caregivers should be extra careful when inspecting their children’s trick-or-treat haul.

“We located over 120,000 of these products but we don’t know how many of them are already out there and it’s possible they may end up with children or unsuspecting individuals. We want people to practice caution, make sure they read the label, especially children who might not be able to read the fine print on these things because they look like the real thing.”

Local news. Delivered. Free. Subscribe to our daily news wrap and get our top local stories delivered to your email inbox every evening

info@nanaimonewsnow.com

On Twitter: @NanaimoNewsNOW