Sleepy little Falkland, B.C., awakes to big news of superlab drug bust
Residents of Falkland, B.C., are still reeling from the shocking news that their small town was home to what authorities have dubbed the largest and most sophisticated drug superlab in Canada. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) recently announced the bust of the illegal drug operation, which was located on a secluded 66-hectare property on Hoath Road.
The scope of the operation was staggering, with investigators seizing a substantial amount of narcotics including 54 kilograms of fentanyl, a significant quantity of precursor chemicals, 390 kilograms of methamphetamine, 35 kilograms of cocaine, 15 kilograms of MDMA, and six kilograms of cannabis. Additionally, law enforcement confiscated a cache of 89 firearms, which included handguns, AR-15-style rifles, and submachine guns.
The discovery of the drug superlab has left residents like Mike Warren, who recently moved to Falkland, in disbelief. Describing the town as a “drive-thru town,” Warren compared the bust to a scene straight out of the popular TV series, Breaking Bad. He remarked, “This is a quaint, quiet, and low-key little village. It’s kinda a surprise.”
Situated on Highway 97 between the larger cities of Kamloops and Vernon, Falkland is a small unincorporated community with fewer than 1,000 residents. The town is best known for its iconic hillside Canadian flag and the annual Falkland Stampede.
Janice and Kevin Evans, who manage the Falkland Faith Mission Retreat Centre near the site of the drug lab, recalled a previous police raid on the property a decade ago, before marijuana was legalized. The couple mentioned that the damaged greenhouses shown in police photos were once used for marijuana cultivation.
Kevin Evans expressed surprise at the scale of the operation, stating, “When things were legalized, we just thought [the property owners] were carrying on under the law. It is surprising to see that they have grown it up much bigger and much more serious.” Janice Evans noted that Falkland’s remote location appealed to some residents seeking privacy, as building permits are not required.
During the search of the drug lab property, authorities uncovered small explosive devices, a large quantity of ammunition, firearm silencers, high-capacity magazines, body armor, and $500,000 in cash. Additional searches in other locations led to the seizure of another 310 kilograms of methamphetamine destined for international markets.
So far, only one individual has been arrested in connection with the drug superlab. Gaganpreet Singh Randhawa faces seven criminal charges related to drugs and weapons offenses in Surrey and Richmond. The RCMP has identified Randhawa as the “main suspect” and stated that the total value of drugs and firearms seized is nearly half a billion dollars.
The shocking discovery of the drug superlab has left the residents of Falkland grappling with the realization that illicit activities were taking place in their quiet community. As the investigation continues, the town is coming to terms with the aftermath of this unprecedented bust.
