Skip to content
Join our Newsletter

New Westminster police announce charges in 2017 fentanyl bust

An estimated $300,000 worth of drugs, including fentanyl, was seized during an investigation by the New Westminster Police Department last spring. On Wednesday, police announced charges had been laid in connection with the investigation.

 An estimated $300,000 worth of drugs, including fentanyl, was seized during an investigation by the New Westminster Police Department last spring. On Wednesday, police announced charges had been laid in connection with the investigation.   Photograph By Cayley DobieAn estimated $300,000 worth of drugs, including fentanyl, was seized during an investigation by the New Westminster Police Department last spring. On Wednesday, police announced charges had been laid in connection with the investigation. Photograph By Cayley Dobie

Nearly a year after police seized a cache of drugs and weapons from locations in New West and Surrey, charges have now been laid against six people connected to the investigation.

The investigation that led to the seizures began more than a year ago when the New Westminster Police Department’s street crime unit started looking into drug dealing operations in the city. Several months later, local police, along with other agencies, executed several search warrants at locations in New West and Surrey.

The searches turned up an undisclosed amount of heroin containing lethal levels of fentanyl and pure fentanyl. The estimated street value of the drugs was $300,000, New Westminster Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Jeff Scott said at the time.

Police also seized firearms, including assault rifles, a shot gun and a sawed-off shot gun, and replica firearms were also taken during the searches, as well as a number of vehicles.

Today (Wednesday), Scott announced six people had been charged in connection with the investigation. Charges range from drug trafficking and possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking to possession of a firearm.

Charged are Surrey residents Neil Naidu, 31; Manisha Lidhar, 25; Pahul Lidhar, 20; Tyler Sandhu, 28; Eric Hanif, 32; and Chilliwack resident Matthew Sharafi, 24.

Naidu remains in custody until his next court appearance. The remaining accused have been released until an upcoming court appearance.

“These kinds of investigations take a lot of experience and expertise from detectives, and our street crime unit along with our partnering agencies have successfully recommended multiple drug offence charges,” Scott said in a press release. “We take these offences very seriously, which is why our street crime unit has devoted the time and energy to stop drug dealers from profiting in our city.”

Read more from the New West Record