Heavily armed police surrounded a White Rock home Tuesday evening, arresting two people as part of an investigation by the province's anti-gang unit.
Investigators with Mounties' Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, with assistance from White Rock RCMP and the Lower Mainland District Emergency Response Team, descended on the home – in the 800-block of Parker Street – around 5:30 p.m. to execute a search warrant.
The move was part of an investigation that had been ongoing for "about a couple months," Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton told Peace Arch News Wednesday.
Upon entry of the two-storey, blue residence, a 46-year-old man and a 31-year-old woman were taken into custody. Charges are anticipated, but as of Wednesday morning, none had been laid, Houghton said. He noted it's "entirely possible" that more arrests will be made in connection with the investigation.
During a search of the premises Tuesday night, police found substances and paraphernalia "consistent with what is believed to be an illegal synthetic drug lab."
Officers with the RCMP's Clandestine Laboratory Enforcement and Response Team, in white hazmat suits, were seen entering the home around 6 p.m., exiting shortly after with what appeared to be a clear container.
Houghton said the house was contained overnight and that the CLEAR unit would be at the scene today (Wednesday) to begin processing the contents.
It's not believed the public is at risk.
An area resident at the scene told PAN the house in question had been sold about a year ago and he believed it was being used as a "meth lab."
Crime in the neighbourhood has been a problem, the man said. He said police Tuesday reportedly told residents the house in question was among five they are investigating.
Houghton would not say if the search was part of a larger investigation, or how police became aware of the alleged illegal activity at the home.
"It would be secret information. We don't want to give out information about how we got information," he said.
