Brampton man charged with illegally importing Fentanyl

Police allege the man brought more than 500 grams of powdered Fentanyl into Canada from China on Aug. 25.

The man was arrested in his Brampton home and has been charged with importing drugs, possession for the purpose of trafficking and conspiracy.

At the time of the arrest, police say officers also seized a set of body armour, a number of long knives and cash.

Barna Olvedi, 31, has been released on bail and is scheduled to appear in a Brampton court Oct. 2.

Fentanyl is an opioid used to treat severe pain. It is 50 to 100 times more powerful than morphine and more than 40 times more powerful than heroin.

RCMP say they worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Homeland Security and the Canada Border Services Agency in the investigation that led to the arrest.

“Fentanyl trafficking and abuse is a serious concern that plagues Canadians coast to coast,” said Insp. Dean Dickson of the RCMP Toronto Airport Detachment Serious and Organized Crime.

“The RCMP is determined to stop the illegal importation of Fentanyl into Canada and to arrest the people who are responsible for it.”