Tainted ecstasy found in recent raids
PMMA linked to 9th drug death in Calgary
CBC News
Posted: Mar 22, 2012 3:05 PM MT
Last Updated: Mar 22, 2012 3:02 PM MT
Lab results from three recent ecstasy busts confirm that the drugs were tainted with PMMA, Calgary police say.
The presence of PMMA, or paramethoxymethamphetamine, in ecstasy has now been linked to nine recent deaths in Calgary.
Calgary police say they are concerned for the wellbeing of anyone who might have bought drugs from five men, seen here, who are all facing charges. (Calgary Police Service)The latest fatality happened last month, police confirmed on Thursday after toxicology results showed that a 51-year-old man who died in hospital had consumed PMMA.
Five men are facing drug-related charges after three separate investigations in Calgary last month in which ecstasy was seized.
“Investigators are concerned for the wellbeing of any member of the public who may have purchased illegal drugs from these individuals,” police said on Thursday as they released pictures of the accused to the media.
Police also issued a warning that even with these arrests, there could still be dangerous PMMA-tainted drugs out there.
Facing charges are: 21-year-ol James Wellesley Briscoe of Bragg Creek, Alastair Kane Charles Seabrook, 22, and Brody Thomas Stephenson, 20, both of Calgary; Andrew Tafara Gray, 32, and Rudolph Vincent Lopez, 31, both of Calgary.
“... street drugs are dangerous, they do kill and you do not know what you’re taking,” police said.
Share Tools
Latest Calgary News Headlines
- Real estate registry eyed for Calgary city council members
- Members of Calgary's city council may soon have to disclose more personal information in a real estate registry. more »
- Alberta's Wildrose Party fined $90K for robocalls
- The Wildrose Party has been fined $90,000 by the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission for violating automated phone call regulations. more »
- Teen's death sparks call for social services information
- The Alberta government wants to see changes on how provinces share information about children under the protection of social services. more »
- Southern Alberta braces for heavy rainfall, snow
- With Calgary and many parts of southern Alberta expecting a lot of rain over the next few days, officials are telling people to take some precautions. more »
Must Watch
Top News Headlines
- Rob Ford allies set to take over if mayor steps down
- Members of Rob Ford's executive committee say they are prepared to take over the day-to-day running of the city if the Toronto mayor is no longer able to perform his duties, amid a scandal involving allegations he was caught on video smoking crack cocaine. more »
- Greg Weston: Senate scandal may be Harper's worst hour
- The widening Senate scandal that the prime minister flippantly tried to dismiss as a 'distraction' just days ago has instead become arguably Stephen Harper's worst hour. more »
- Man ‘lucky to be alive’ after Washington bridge collapse
- A Washington state bridge over a river collapsed last night, dumping two vehicles into the water and sparking a rescue effort by boats and divers who searched the chilly waterway north of Seattle. more »
- Canada ranks 3rd last in paid vacations
- Canada ranks third last among economically advanced counties in the amount of paid vacation time it guarantees its workers, a new U.S. study indicates. more »
- 3D printers give rise to 'desktop manufacturing'
- Customizable objects from plastic dollhouse furniture to medical prosthetics can now be designed and printed out by almost anyone at the press of a button, and is going to lead to an 'explosion of new stuff,' predicts author Chris Anderson. more »
- Southern Alberta braces for heavy rainfall, snow
- Alberta's Wildrose Party fined $90K for robocalls
- S.E. Calgary man missing since February
- Calgary school board staff's $15K New Zealand trip questioned
- Teen's death sparks call for social services information
- Alberta's pest list includes 60 critters
- Rain, snow in K-Country prompts rescue of school campers
- Calgary man charged with murder in 2012 killing
- Calgary teen found dead had been in provincial care
