Date-rape drug valued at $15M seized in B.C.

The narcotic, which police said isused as a date-rape drug and as an ingredient in ecstasy, was discovered Dec. 7 in a shipment that had arrived in Vancouver by ship from Hong Kong, RCMP spokesman Const. Michael McLaughlin said in a release Wednesday.

Documentation accompanying the shipment identified the goods as 402 cartons of coffee mugs. But when CBSA officers examined the six-metre-long shipping container, they noticed discrepancies in the X-ray images, McLaughlin said.

He said a full examination of the container found 318 cartons of coffee mugs and 84 boxes that contained bothcoffee mugs and vacuum-sealed bags containing more than 1,003 kilograms of a white crystalline powder identified as ketamine.

Drug shipment valued at $15M

Tests performed by border services officers indicated that the bags contained ketamine hydrochloride. A total of 1003.9 kilograms of ketamine was seized, said McLaughlin.

The seizure puts a big dent in the trafficking of the drug, according to RCMP Supt. Brian Cantera.

"The more than 1,000 kilograms here that has been seized represents more thanone million doses," said Cantera. "This seizure represents more than $15 million and that is clearly taken out of the profits of drug traffickers."

McLaughlin said three of the accused, includingTak Ming Chan, 53,Yiu Ming Kwok, 58, andWing Kee Ng, 58, are Chinese nationals and have been remanded until Feb. 8. All three face charges of importing a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Also in custody and charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking areHoi Sing Lai,54,andHin Cheung Lau, 42, of Vancouver.

A number of rifles and a handgun also were found during the arrests.

Last year, 1,800 kilograms of ketamine was seized in B.C.