Record fentanyl bust

By The Canadian Press - CASTANET Dec 29, 2016 / 11:34 am

Calgary police say they have seized a large amount of the dangerous and powerful opioid fentanyl. Police say last Friday officers found 35,321 fentanyl pills during a drug bust at a home — a record in the city. Investigators also seized shotguns, rifles, a handgun, a crossbow and other drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. Police also found lots of ammunition and sets of body armour. David Pratico of Calgary has been charged with drug and weapons-related offences, including the production of crack cocaine. Illegal fentanyl, which can be up to 40 times stronger than heroin, has been linked to hundreds of deaths across Canada. "This is the largest fentanyl pill seizure in Calgary's history and one of the largest in the province," police said Thursday in a release.