Five men face multiple drug charges
Calgary police have charged five men with several drug offences in relation to the possession and trafficking of Ecstasy laced with PMMA.
James Wellesley Briscoe, 21, of Bragg Creek, was arrested on February 2 and police seized a quatity of LSD and Ecstasy from his possession. Briscoe faces seven drug charges.
Brody Thoms Stephenson, 20, and a 22-year-old man were both arrested in the 4600 block of Richard Rd. S.W. following a call to investigate drug activity in the area on February 10.
Andrew Tafara Gray, 32, and Rudolph Vincent Lopez, 31, were arrested when the police executed search warrants on two homes in the northeast as well as a vehicle stopped in the northeast. Police seized quantities of Ecstasy with both warrants.
Lab tests on the seized drugs from all the suspects revealed the presence of Paramethoxy-methamphetamine or PMMA.
Despite these arrests, CPS Sergeant Mike Bossley says it doesn't mean that all the dangerous PMMA laced Ecstasy is off the streets.
A Calgary mother who lost her son Daniel to the drug is relieved that something is being done. "I was absolutely amazed. For the longest time, I didn't have any belief the police were going to catch these guys," says Carol Dahl.
The pending charges come just as toxicology results from the RCMP confirmed the death of a man in Morinville, earlier in March, was as a result of consuming Ecstasy laced with PMMA.
Additionally, police also confirmed that a ninth person in Calgary died from taking Ecstasy tainted with PMMA.
Police were called to a southwest home in February 2012 and found a 51-year-old man in medical distress. He died later in hospital.
If parents believe their child is involved in drug use and/or have information to assist with an investigation targeting a drug trafficker, they are encouraged to call the CPS Drug Tip Line at 403-206-8100 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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