Pubdate: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 Source: Richmond News (CN BC) Copyright: 2005, Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc. Contact: http://www.richmond-news.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1244 Author: Nelson Bennett Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?188 (Outlaw Bikers) ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER DRUG LAB A Richmond realtor is in police custody, along with five other men that include two Chinese nationals, following a raid on two drug labs in Richmond. And police say the operations are likely linked to organized crime. Albert Luk, a realtor with Sutton Group Seafair Realty, turned himself in to police Thursday afternoon after a raid on his home at 6651 No. 5 Road. RCMP also raided a second home owned by Luk, at 5111 Steveston Hwy., yesterday. Police say the house does not appear to have been lived in. Four people have been charged and more charges are pending against two other suspects. Charged are Patrick Dan Chang, Tik Sheun Ngai, Ka Wan Chan and Kai Ming Fung. The latter two are Chinese nationals from Hong Kong. They are charged with production of illegal substances and possession for the purpose of trafficking and are scheduled to appear in court Monday, at which time the federal attorney general's office expects more charges to be laid. At press time yesterday, no charges had been laid against Luk. But Richmond RCMP Cpl. Peter Thiessen said: "He is directly linked to this investigation, along with others." Richmond RCMP were tipped off by Transport Canada, which became suspicious last week when the federal agency learned a large volume of sodium borohydride - a key ingredient in the making of ecstasy - was coming in from Shanghai and was destined for a residential address in Richmond. The chemical has legitimate applications, but would normally go to a chemical plant, not a residential address. After conducting surveillance on the house, police executed search warrants and found 200 kilograms of liquid ecstasy - estimated to be worth $15 million - and another 600 kilograms of sodium borohydride, which police estimated could be worth as much as $375 million, once made into ecstasy. "There is 200 kilograms of liquid ecstasy that was about to be made into - approximately four million tablets of ecstasy that would have gone onto the streets, into the hands of our kids," Thiessen said. "That, fortunately, now is not going to happen." Just last week, a 13-year-old Victoria girl, Mercedes Clarke, died from an overdose after taking ecstasy. Thiessen said the drug labs may be linked to organized crime. "Certainly organized crime is a strong possibility," he said. "It has to be an organized group of individuals to bring in this amount of chemicals offshore." Ardee Bautista, who lives next door to the Luk house at 5111 Steveston Hwy., came home from work early yesterday afternoon to find a phalanx of journalists and cops parked on the corner of Steveston Highway and Railway Avenue. The house he lives next to was just about to be raided by RCMP and firefighters wearing special HAZMAT suits. Police evacuated houses on either side of the Luk house, including Bautista's. Bautista was shocked to learn the house next door may have been used as a drug lab. "I had no idea there was something going on back there," he said. Bautista said the house had been up for sale for some time. He said Luk had bought the house and done some clearing on the property and put up a fence. "He seemed like a normal typical guy," Bautista said. Bautista did not know if Luk and his wife lived in the home, and admitted he did not pay much attention to what went on next door. "After this experience, I guess I should pay more attention," he said. Neighbours living near Luk's house at 6651 No. 5 Rd. echoed Bautista's sentiments. "It's freaky," said one woman, who did not want to be identified. "It's damned scary. You hear about these things blowing up." Neighbours said they had no idea there was anything questionable going on at the older two-storey white house. In fact, they thought the owner was in the process of cleaning it up, as trees had been cleared. In fact, they thought the house next door to it was actually the street's biggest problem. Neighbours say it's an unofficial after-hours "booze camp." One woman, who would only give her first name - Kate - said she woke up one morning to find a bunch of people camped out in her garage from the previous night's party next door. "Every weekend, it's a nightmare," she said. "It's an all-night pub and it's horrible." Police told the News the house is a known hangout for Hells Angels. Scott Russell, manager for Sutton Group Seafair Realty, was shocked to learn Luk was implicated in the drug trade. Police would not say whether Luk had any previous dealings with police. However, court documents show an Albert Luk was convicted in 1994 for distributing copies of copyrighted work. The charges appear to be related to a counterfeit computer software scheme. Although meth labs have become common all over North America, ecstasy labs are more rare. "This is extremely serious to us," said Supt. Ward Clapham of the Richmond RCMP. "It's a huge commitment by the police community that we're serious about taking these type of drugs - ecstasy and other types of drugs - off the street any way we can and protecting our young people." Mayor Malcolm Brodie said drug labs in residential areas are a modern reality, which is why the city recently included them in a new bylaw requiring landlords to inspect rental properties regularly, or face huge bills for policing, should they be used for grow-ops or drug labs. "It can happen anywhere," Brodie said. "It's a vivid reminder that we must keep up our vigilance at all costs." Ecstasy is a designer drug that made its appearance about a decade ago. People on ecstasy say they feel intensely affectionate and energetic. Despite the positive feelings it may give, the drug has a sinister side because it is often mixed with other, more dangerous drugs, like crystal meth. - ---