Pubdate: Fri, 29 Apr 2005 Source: Scarborough Mirror, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2005 The Scarborough Mirror Contact: http://www.insidetoronto.ca/to/scarborough/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2198 Author: Andrew Palamarchuk Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy) MOUNTIES BUST HUGE ECSTASY OPERATION The Royal Canadian Mounted Police's clandestine lab team seized drugs with a street value of more than $40 million Wednesday after executing three search warrants in Scarborough. According to the RCMP, an operational synthetic drug lab with enough chemicals and ecstasy powder to produce about 50,000 ecstasy pills was discovered in a home on Todd Road northwest of Sheppard Avenue and Brimley Road. At two public storage units located in undisclosed industrial areas in Scarborough, police found sufficient chemicals to produce more than four million ecstasy pills. No arrests have been made in the ongoing investigation. Police estimate that the potential street value of the drugs seized is between $40 million and $80 million. The Todd Road house was cordoned off with yellow tape as police officers and firefighters in protective gear gathered evidence and dismantled the operation. "It certainly is a significant bust," said RCMP Corp. Howard Adams at the scene. "We're used to seeing some of these set up in industrial areas, but it's now becoming a little bit more prevalent within residential areas." Todd Road resident Michael Maughan said he's not "totally surprised" by the bust because the people living in the bungalow were very quiet and kept to themselves. "They really haven't built any relationships in the neighbourhood," he said adding, "We never had a chance to even meet them." Doris Wright, who has been living in the area for 20 years, said it is a good and quiet neighbourhood. Corp. Adams said there are dangers associated with ecstasy, which is described as the club drug of choice among youth. "When we look at some of the drug labs that we found, they're not the cleanest facilities. They're not under a strict regimen on how they make the product," he said. "You never know what the mixture is going to be within that product, so definitely it can be a danger to anyone who buys (it)." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom