An important part of the seizures made during an extensive police operation—titled Project Blowfish—last week is getting the dangerous chemicals that are mixed with cocaine off the street.
Last Wednesday, three people—a man from St. John’s and two women with residences in BC—were arrested and are now facing a list of charges in relation to the seizure.
Corporal David Emberley, team lead for the operation, says cocaine cutting agents were obtained as part of the seizure.
He explains that when cocaine is brought up from South America it is of a very high purity. Various traffickers will then mix cutting agents with the cocaine to bring the purity down and thus make more product.
Emberley says the agents vary, but can be harmful to users. He states that cocaine is not made by a pharmaceutical company, with checks in place. It’s produced in labs, and you never really know what you’re putting into your body.