Kingston Police arrest three people believed to be connected to local tainted drug supply
Three individuals from Kingston have been arrested and charged following a months-long investigation into the trafficking of fentanyl locally, Kingston Police have announced.
According to police, in May 2023, members of the Kingston Police Drug Enforcement Unit received information regarding “a number of individuals actively trafficking large quantities of fentanyl in Kingston.”
“Over the past week, the Drug Enforcement Unit was made aware of a number of overdoses from fentanyl, which were believed to be attributed to the same tainted drug supply being distributed by these individuals,” Kingston Police said in a press release on Friday, Jul. 7, 2023.
Kingston, Frontenac Lennox and Addington (KFL&A) Public Health has issued multiple warnings regarding drug-involved poisonings throughout 2023, the most recent of which was on June 30.
Police carried out surveillance on these individuals and, on Thursday, Jul. 6, 2023, they were arrested for the possession of fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking, Kingston Police detailed. Subsequently, a search warrant was obtained and executed at a local hotel, leading to seizure of large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl, and Canadian currency.
As a result, three people from Kingston were charged with offences under the Criminal Code of Canada and the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Police believe the fentanyl seized contains xylazine (referred to by the street names “tranq” or “the zombie drug”). xylazine is a typically used as a fentanyl additive, and reduces the effects of naloxone – making the reversal of an overdose more difficult.
“Further testing is being requested to confirm the presence of Xylazine with Health Canada,” Kingston Police said.
Among the items seized through this investigation were:
- 133 grams of cocaine
- 298 grams of fentanyl
- Approximately $12,000 in Canadian currency