Winnipeg police said no arrests have been made yet in a drug bust that turned up meth, cocaine, and a concoction known as “purple heroin” they say carries a high risk of addiction and potentially death.
“I can tell you in my experience this is a huge, a huge bust for our guys,” said Const. Rob Carver.
The drugs were seized from a resident on Guay Avenue in St. Boniface on July 12, police said, as a result of an investigation by the Winnipeg Police Service guns and gangs unit.
In total, police seized:
- 2.8 kilograms of cocaine said to be worth around $280,000 if sold in bulk on the street;
- 266 grams of heroin police said was the purple variety with a street value of $79,800.00;
- 5.3 kilograms of methamphetamine with a street value of $530,000.00 as well as
- a cutting agent and packaging materials
“In this instance, no arrests have been made as of yet,” said Carver.
Insp. Max Waddell, with the service’s organized crime division, said the seizure is expected to have a ripple effect on the drug trade.
Insp. Max Waddell holds up a bag of 'purple heroin' on July 24, 2019.
“And at a half a million plus dollars, it will have an impact in their circle. Because someone at the end of the day will has to pay for these drugs, and that’s what we’re going to be continuing to investigate,” Waddell said.
‘Purple heroin’ not new to Winnipeg: Police and AFM
Waddell noted a recent incident in Brandon involving purple heroin, which involved two people overdosing, and said officers in Winnipeg have seized it before. He estimates it’s been about a year since it first turned up here.
“It’s kind of a dark blue purple colour, and it’s really a mixture of a whole concoction of illicit drugs,” said Waddell, adding that without a Health Canada label, officers can’t determine the exact mix.
“We truly can’t say what is in this, but our best guess is that there would be a combination of heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl and carfentanil.”
Addictions Foundation of Manitoba Medical Director Dr. Ginette Poulin also first encountered purple heroin about a year ago and only heard about it occasionally.
Over the past four months, she’s been hearing about the drug on a daily basis.
"Certainly the risks associated with this are very concerning,” said Dr. Poulin. "When we don't know what the substances are or when there are multiple, the toll that takes on the body can be very, very concerning and even fatal."
Dr. Poulin isn’t aware of any fatalities in Manitoba.
Waddell said the drug is a dangerous and highly addictive mix of a depressant and stimulant.
“And the euphoria you get from this is very overwhelming,” he said, adding that the drug is expensive and taken in similar doses as meth.
He explained the danger is increased because when mixed, ‘hot spots’ can form, which Poulin said means some portions may contain all carfentanil or fentanyl.
“It’s almost impossible to mix it evenly,” said Waddell.
“If you do choose to use this purple coloured heroin mixture, you need to be very careful," he said. "Because this is not a normal illicit drug that most would have taken in the past and unfortunately it can be fatal.”
Dr. Poulin said if you do plan on using it make sure someone's with you, have a naloxone kit on hand as it can reverse the effects of the opioids and call 911 for help if needed.
-With files from Josh Crabb
