Winnipeg police make 1st major fentanyl-trafficking arrest

Winnipeg police say they have made their first major arrest related to the sale of fentanyl, after two people were arrested and roughly 160 grams of the drug was seized this week.

A 36-year-old man and 33-year-old woman werearrestedthe 200 block of St. Anne's Road on Tuesday, following a investigation into the sale of fentanyl.

The twowere passengers in a taxicab at the time of their arrest, Const. Eric Hofley told CBC News.

Officers seized 81 grams of fentanyl powder and six fentanyl pills, which weighed about 80 grams.Police also seized the following:

• 25 hydromorphone pills.
• Five Restoril pills, which are normally used to treat insomnia.
• $17,455 in Canadian currency.
• Drug paraphernalia.

Police say the seized drugs have an estimated street value of $10,000.

"I'm not aware of any recent arrests of that quantity offentanyl. Certainly it has been in the media and several deaths attributed to it out west,and we're starting to see it here more and more,"Hofleysaid Wednesday.

"Our investigators are doing whatever they can to get thefentanyloff the streets, and this certainly goes a long way of doing that."

The pair has been charged with possessing a scheduled substance for the purpose of trafficking fentanyl, hydromorphone and Restoril, along with possession of the proceeds of property obtained by crime.

Hofley said the pair is known to police.

Court documents obtained by CBC Newsshow that both the man and woman were sentenced to six months behind barsin 2014 of possessing drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

The woman was also convicted in 2009 of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking. As well, she has been convicted of theft under $5,000 and failing to comply with court and probation orders.

The man has previous convictions dating back to 2007 for breaking and entering, uttering threats, theft under $5,000, fleeing from a peace officer and failing to comply with court and probation orders.