'It's huge': Nearly $500K of cocaine, meth seized in gift bags, baggies

Winnie the Pooh looked up from one of the gift bags and plastic baggies in which police found a total of about half a million dollars worth of cocaine and methamphetamine on Friday.

Charges were laid against nine people in connection with the drugs.

"I can tell you that the criminal underworld is probably hurting a little bit as a result of this seizure," Const. Jay Murray of the Winnipeg Police Service said at a media briefing Monday.

The seizure was a result of an extensive investigation into a Winnipeg drug network, a police news release said.

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On Friday evening, police searched a home on King Edward Street in the Tyndall Park area and the vehicles used by some of the nine suspects arrested.

They seized nearly eight kilograms of cocaine, valued at around $475,000, 79 grams of crack cocaine, valued at more than $6,300, and 11 grams of methamphetamine, valued at around $1,650.

"It's huge," Murray said of the seizure.

'Hiding in plain sight'

The cocaine was divided into roughly one-kilogram blocks. Some of it was packaged in gift bagscovered with images of balloons and birthday cake.

"We're not entirely sure why it was packaged like this, but I think the saying 'hiding in plain sight' applies here. They'll do anything to try and hide these narcotics from, whether it be police or other drug dealers," said Murray.

"But it's quite scary to think that if a kid came upon a narcotic like this, they might think it's a birthday bag and potentially it could harm a child."

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Numerous charges were laid against the five men and four women, including possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

They have been released on a promise to appear in court.