HUGE BUST in maritimes Still awaiting trial

[geardup]

RCMP Drug Sections from Saint John, Fredericton and Moncton along with the Fredericton Police Force have arrested 18 people as the result of a two year investigation, including 16 men and two women. Charges are of trafficking and conspiracy to traffic against these 18 people, and possibly others, are being likely.

"Operation Jellybean" was started to disrupt the sale of cocaine, marihuana, prescription drugs and anabolic steroids in New Brunswick, primarily around the Fredericton area. The investigation spread across the Maritimes and into Ontario. On January 25, 2007 police conducted searches at seven homes and six businesses. Six of the homes are in Greater Fredericton and one in Saint John. The businesses are located in Greater Fredericton, Saint John, Miramichi, Glace Bay and Sydney, Nova Scotia as well as Burlington, Ontario.

One of the homes, in Fredericton was heavily fortified and identified by investigators as a "pumphouse". It's alleged the home was used exclusively, 24 hours a day, as a place to sell drugs; specifically cocaine. One of the men taken into custody was arrested at the house.

The investigation also identified a significant level of trafficking in the Maritimes of illegal anabolic steroids . Investigators have been able to identify the sale of hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of anabolic steroids.

During the course of the investigation including the searches of yesterday, a large quantity of drugs was seized including 1.2 pounds of cocaine, in excess of 55 pounds of marihuana, large quantities of what are believed counterfeit prescripton pills, anabolic steroids, in excess of $350,000 in cash, several vehicles, two custom motorcycles, an ATV, a boat and a trailer, several restricted and one prohibited firearm. A business location has been restrained by personnel from the RCMP J Div Integrated Proceeds of Crime Section.

Those arrested range in age from 20 to 39 . Six men are from Fredericton, three from Moncton, one from Saint John, two from Miramichi, two from Ontario and one each from Sydney and Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. The two women are from Fredericton. All have been released while charges are being prepared by police and the Dept. Of Public Prosecutions, Halifax. No court dates have been set.

The RCMP Integrated Proceeds of Crime Unit is also conducting a separate investigation and it's anticipated there will be charges of money laundering and proceeds of crime charges.

[geardup]

Police say they've broken up a drug-trafficking and money-laundering operation spanning three provinces and centred in Fredericton. The bust involved anabolic steroids and a gym outside the city.

Eighteen people were arrested Thursday in what police said was a bust that affected areas from the Maritimes to Ontario.

Corporal Gilles Blinn of the RCMP said a two-year investigation, code-named Operation Jellybean, culminated in raids at seven homes and six businesses in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Ontario.

"Everyone who was arrested has been released, and charges are pending," Blinn said.

One business, a gym just outside Fredericton, has been put under a restraining order as offence-related property.

Staff Sgt. Ed MacEchern of the RCMP Drug Section said charges could include money laundering, trafficking and conspiracy to traffic cocaine, marijuana, prescription drugs and anabolic steroids .



"[Operation Jellybean] started off, and remained throughout, a cocaine investigation," MacEchern said. "This was based on disrupting a cocaine industry here locally, in Fredericton. And to do that, we had to step outside Fredericton to some extent. During the investigation, we also encountered the sale of anabolic steroids and so on, and it caused us to go in that direction as well."

Among the items seized were cash, vehicles and drugs including steroids, prescription drugs and narcotics.

Police couldn't put a figure on the amount of steroids seized, but say as much as $600,000 a year was sold to a single buyer in the city.

[shrpskn]

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