Final suspects sentenced in $258 million drug seizure in North Okanagan

A federal investigation that led to the discovery of one of the largest drug super-labs in B.C., and the conviction of all six suspects, has wrapped up with the last two suspects being sentenced to 11 years in prison for their involvement in the production of methamphetamine and fentanyl.

The drug bust happened in Lumby in October 2018.

On Aug. 14, 2023, Robyn Leigh Bryson, 38, and Trent Anton Fussi, 33, were each sentenced to 11 years in prison for the production of fentanyl and six years behind bars for the production of methamphetamine.

RCMP say those two were identified as “the cooks” at the industrial-scale drug lab.

Police say the street value of the seized meth was estimated at $2.2 million, while the seized value of the fentanyl was estimated at $256 million.

Four other suspects, Michael Harvey, Tyson Kopp, Michael McMorris and Michael Piggott, were also convicted and sentenced earlier, but their penalties were not provided by BC RCMP.

The search and dismantling of the massive drug lab took BC RCMP investigators 12 days to complete, with the cost of the cleanup, and disposal of the hazardous waste material totalling nearly $370,000.

“With toxic fentanyl being increasingly mixed in with other types of street drugs, the opioid crisis seems to be evolving into a poly-drug crisis,” Supt. Jillian Wellard, Officer in Charge of the BC RCMP Federal Serious & Organized Crime, said

“This alarming trend is now affecting far more Canadians, and most regrettably, our children and youth. This is why the dedicated investigators of the BC RCMP Federal Policing directorate, will continue to relentlessly pursue criminal networks responsible for the production, and distribution of toxic drugs into our communities.”