ALERT busts fentanyl lab operating in Forest Lawn garage

Charges have been laid against four Calgarians in connection with sting on a fentanyl lab that took place earlier this month in Forest Lawn.

Members of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team’s Calgary organized crime team moved in on a fentanyl lab operating in a detached garage at 1329 37 Street S.E. on January 18, 2019.

Authorities were originally notified about the existence of the lab back in November 2018 thanks to a tip from the public.

With assistance from the Calgary Police Service and members of the RCMP’s Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement and Response (CLEAR) team, they dismantled the lab that contained a pill press, tablet dies marked with “CDN” and “80”, numerous chemical binders and powder dies, fentanyl-contaminated mixing containers and packaging materials.

Search warrants were also executed at a home in New Brighton and two storage lockers in Erin Woods. A vehicle was also searched.

About $75,000 worth of processed drugs was seized, along with a number of other items including:

• 902 fentanyl pills
• 178 grams of fentanyl powder
• 4.4 kilograms of powders
• 101 morphine pills
• a handgun

Four people, all from Calgary, are facing charges in connection with the bust:

• Richard Clow, 30, is charged with production of fentanyl, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime and breach of a recognizance
• Kyle Bauch, 30, is charged with production of fentanyl, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime, unsafe storage of a firearm and unauthorized possession of a firearm
• Scott Connell, 38, is charged with production of fentanyl
• Shawna Foley, 37, is charged with production of fentanyl

All four of the suspects are well known to ALERT from previous investigations.

Calgary police are particularly concerned about the production of the drugs because they were being manfactured in a “dirty and decrepit garage” and there were no health standards or quality control requirements in place.

“Plain and simple, this is about organized crime making money and, in doing so, they’re playing with the lives of our vulnerable, addicted population,” said Supt. Cliff O’Brien with the CPS, “At the same time, they’re putting our community at risk.”

ALERT’s Staff Sergeant Shawn Wallace says a number of the items that were seized from the garage have been submitted to Health Canada for further analysis.

He says Clow is believed to be the leader of the drug operation.

“Clow has previously been arrested as part of other ALERT drug investigations, hence his breach charges.”

Wallace says fentanyl remains a top priority for ALERT.

“To date, ALERT seized roughly 60,000 fentanyl pills from across the province. This investigation marks the fourth fentanyl lab; the second in Calgary, that ALERT has dismantled.”

He says that drug production labs can come in various sizes and forms, but in his particular investigation, the pill press that was seized can produce thousands of pills an hour.

“How much product they have coming in, their committment and efficiency; it’s hard to tell how many pills they have created before we were able to shut them down.”

Anyone who suspects drug or gang activity in their community can call local police or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).