$4.5-million drug seizure one of the largest in Surrey's history

Heightened policing efforts following the recent spate in shootings in Surrey led to one of the largest drug busts in the municipality’s history.

Surrey RCMP announced today that they seized $4.5 million worth of illicit drugs from 30-year-old Pardip Hayer in the city’s Newton neighbourhood. The drug bust occurred several weeks ago on March 16.

Since then, the 30-year-old Abbotsford man has been charged with four counts for trafficking substances, including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, and fake oxycontin.

This year to date, there have been 28 shootings in the city, and it is believed that five of the incidents were related to the drug trade.

“The drug trade is constantly changing. The individuals change and the drugs change, but the problem remains the same – young people are being lured into this criminal lifestyle with illusions of money and power, but the reality is much different,” said Superintendent Shawn Gill, Community Services Officer for the Surrey RCMP, in a statement.

“We have an issue that goes beyond police – it involves the entire community. It involves parents, schools, prevention programs, and community involvement. For our part, we are working day and night to suppress both the violence and drug trafficking in Surrey.”

So far in 2016, four people in Surrey have been arrested for trafficking drugs.