B.C. anti-gang police say 14 charges laid in provincewide drug investigation

Investigators reportedly seized 11 ounces of cocaine, five ounces of methamphetamine, five ounces of fentanyl, one kilogram of cutting agent and firearm ammunition. (Handout)

Three people are facing a total of 14 criminal charges after a lengthy investigation into a drug trafficking group that operated across British Columbia, according to the province’s anti-organized crime task force.

The investigation, led by the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. (CFSEU-BC), began in late 2024 after police identified a suspected drug ring operating between the Lower Mainland and Okanagan regions.

The anti-gang task force says the drug ring was controlled by a larger organized crime network involved in distributing narcotics.

As the investigation progressed, police executed five search warrants in Vancouver and Surrey in June 2025.

During the searches, investigators reportedly seized 11 ounces of cocaine, five ounces of methamphetamine, five ounces of fentanyl, one kilogram of cutting agent and $2,400 in cash.

The statement said officers also seized firearm ammunition, drug trafficking paraphernalia and several electronic devices.

On June 4, one year after the searches, Crown prosecutors approved multiple charges related to the case.

Jonathan Miralda-Alvarez, a 24-year-old from Surrey, is charged with one count of trafficking a controlled substance and three counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, police said.

Twinkle Notey, 25, a fellow Surrey resident and alleged accomplice, is charged with eight counts of trafficking a controlled substance, while Arshdeep Singh Bassi, 22, of Surrey, is charged with two counts of trafficking a controlled substance, according to the statement.

Investigators said a fourth suspect, who was not named in the release but was believed to be the leader of the criminal group, was killed in an incident of gang-related violence before charges could be laid.

“This investigation targeted an organized crime group responsible for trafficking highly addictive and dangerous drugs into our communities,” said Sgt. Sarbjit K. Sangha, a spokesperson for the CFSEU-BC, in the statement.

“By disrupting this drug line and securing fourteen criminal charges, investigators removed significant quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, and methamphetamine from circulation and disrupted a criminal network that was profiting from the distribution of illicit drugs.”

Miralda-Alvarez and Notey were both arrested on June 5 and later released from custody pending scheduled court appearances, while Bassi is already in federal custody, police said.