-from canada.com-

EPENTIGNY, Que. - A drug laboratory capable of producing five million ecstasy, methamphetamine and counterfeit Viagra and Cialis pills a month was busted last Friday by the RCMP.

“This is a very significant seizure,” said Sgt. Andre Potvin, head of the RCMP Montreal drug squad.

Police said they seized 44,000 ecstasy pills, 83,000 methamphetamine pills, 25,000 pills resembling Viagra and 31,000 resembling Cialis.

Police also seized 35 kilograms of bulk powder for the manufacture of about 160,000 ecstasy pills, 32 kilograms of powder to make about 145,000 meth tablets plus a quantity of ketamine, a hallucinogenic and anesthetic drug often used in veterinary medicine.

Police arrested two brothers who allegedly ran the lab.

Pierre Girouard, 61, of Montreal and Gilles Girouard, 60, of Repentigny, northeast of Montreal, face charges of possession of illegal drugs, the manufacture and trafficking of illegal drugs and conspiracy.

Potvin said they might also be charged with counterfeiting pills.

Potvin said the investigation took three months and stopped short of pinpointing the buyers of the drugs.

“We wanted to make sure the drugs didn’t get onto the street,” he said.

He said the ecstasy and meth pills are sold for up to $35 a pill at clubs and raves. On the street they go for about $25. The value of the seizure on the street is about $5 million, he said.

Montreal Gazette

© Canwest News Service 2008