Nearly 400,000 equivalent doses of fentanyl seized from clandestine drug lab in Chilliwack: RCMP

Two individuals, 35‑year‑old Justin Fauth and 37‑year‑old Carlos Martinez, were arrested on October 2, 2025. On October 3, 2025, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada approved charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act for Production and Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking. Both individuals are in custody and remain before the courts.

Following the completion of safety protocols and a review of the substances, investigators can now confirm the following quantities of illicit material were seized during the investigation:

Fentanyl, Fluorofentanyl, Fentanyl analogues, and mixtures containing fentanyl: Approximately 39.31 kilograms, equivalent to over 391,100 doses;
Methyl-Methcathinone: Approximately 43.09 kilograms;
Methamphetamine and mixtures containing methamphetamine: Approximately 2.9 kilograms;
MDMA: Approximately 3.96 kilograms and an additional 3766 pills;
More than 5000 kilograms of chemicals and precursors used in the production of controlled substances;
Clandestine lab equipment and production materials including but not limited to reactor vessels, glassware, evaporators, holding tanks, and mixers, and a pill press.

Police say the inherent dangers associated with clandestine drug laboratories, the safe handling, dismantling, and analysis of the substances and equipment seized was a process that took a significant amount of time. Specialized resources, including Health Canada chemists and the RCMP Clandestine Lab Enforcement and Response Team (CLEAR), were deployed to ensure the safety of the investigators and the public during the removal and disposal of the drugs, chemicals, and related equipment.

Additionally, civilian hazardous waste experts were brought in from out of province to address a specific, highly dangerous chemical located on site that posed a significant risk to public safety.

Provincial Tactical Enforcement Priority (PTEP) funding from the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) contributed several hundreds of thousands of dollars towards the costs associated to the safe dismantling of the clandestine lab, as well as the cost of other policing expenses for this investigation.

The PTEP program is an integrated, province‑wide targeting process managed by the CFSEU‑BC. It identifies individuals associated with gangs and organized crime and supports law enforcement in prioritizing offenders whose criminal activities pose significant risks to public safety and cause the greatest harm to communities.

“The scale of this seizure underscores the serious threat organized crime poses to public safety. Through PTEP, CFSEU-BC works with policing partners across British Columbia to identify and prioritize the most harmful offenders, ensuring resources are directed where they will have the greatest impact in protecting our communities, said Sup. Gary Hiar Deputy Operational Support Officer at CFSEU-BC.”

In addition, bylaw personnel from the City of Chilliwack are using their own cost‑recovery mechanisms to offset expenses related to cleanup activities.

In November 2025, in a linked chain of events, police seized an additional 50.47 kilograms of Fluorofentanyl, equivalent to 504,700 doses, which is believed to have originated from the clandestine laboratory.

“This information reflects the complexity and hazards involved in safely processing a clandestine drug laboratory,” says Supt. Darren Pankratz, Officer in Charge of the Upper Fraser Valley RCMP. “Investigations like this demonstrate our ongoing commitment to targeting those responsible and working with our partners to reduce the presence of dangerous drugs in Chilliwack. Public safety remains at the forefront of everything we do.”

by Mike Vanden Bosch

Nearly 400,000 equivalent doses of fentanyl seized from clandestine drug lab in Chilliwack: RCMP

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