Clandestine Lab Dismantled - Niagara Falls
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On Tuesday, December 23, 2025, Detectives with the Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS) Major drugs and Gangs Unit, assisted by members of the 2 District Street Crime Unit (Niagara Falls/Niagara on the Lake), obtained a Controlled drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) search warrant for a private residence on Brookside Drive in the City of Niagara Falls. The warrant resulted in the discovery and seizure of a clandestine drug laboratory with four persons being arrested.
As a result, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Clandestine Laboratory Investigative Response Team in conjunction the OPP UCRT Team and Durham Regional Police Synthetic Drug Officers were called in to execute the warrant and assist with dismantling the lab safely. Niagara Falls Fire Department and Niagara EMS were on standby in the area to assist with the potential hazards.
The search resulted in the seizure of the following:
· Forty-two (42) 20-litre pails of suspected liquid methamphetamine
· Seventeen (17) kilograms of suspected crystal methamphetamine
· $6200.00 in CAD currency
· A 9mm semi-automatic pistol
Further confirmation is required through expert analysis, but Detectives estimate that each pail that was seized could yield approximately 17.5 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine. The total estimated yield of this seizure is being estimated at approximately 752 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine worth approximately 3.5 million dollars.
The accused parties and criminal charges for this incident are as follows:
32-year-old Kristopher BURNETT-ACKERMAN of Niagara Falls is charged with the following offences:
· Production of a Scheduled I Substance (Crystal Meth)
· Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking (Crystal Meth)
· Possess Restricted Firearm without holding a Licence
· Possession of a Restricted Firearm Knowingly Not Holding Licence
· Careless Storage of a Firearm
· Fail to Comply with Release Order
25-year-old Veronika GOFFIN of Niagara Falls is charged with the following offences:
· Production of a Scheduled I Substance (Crystal Meth)
· Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking (Crystal Meth)
· Possess Restricted Firearm without holding a Licence
· Possession of a Restricted Firearm Knowingly Not Holding Licence
· Careless Storage of a Firearm
25-year-old Ricardo YANEZ a resident of Victorville, California, U.S.A. is charged with the following offences:
· Production of a Scheduled I Substance (Crystal Meth)
· Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking (Crystal Meth)
· Possess Restricted Firearm without holding a Licence
· Possession of a Restricted Firearm Knowingly Not Holding Licence
· Careless Storage of a Firearm
· Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000
23-year-old Brandon FUENTES ESCALARA a resident of Victorville, California, U.S.A. is charged with the following offences:
· Production of a Scheduled I Substance (Crystal Meth)
· Possession of a Schedule I Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking (Crystal Meth)
· Possess Restricted Firearm without holding a Licence
· Possession of a Restricted Firearm Knowingly Not Holding Licence
· Careless Storage of a Firearm
· Possession of Proceeds of Property Obtained by Crime Under $5000
All four accused persons were held in custody and attended a bail hearing on Wednesday, December 24, 2025.