Suspected Bellingham dealer arrested after $250,000 in LSD, mushrooms, marijuana seized
A suspected 21-year-old Bellingham drug dealer was arrested after the Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force reportedly seized more than $250,000 worth of illegal marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, MDMA and LSD tablets, $19,000 cash and a handgun from his South Hill neighborhood apartment.
George P. “Duffy” Canelakes was booked into Whatcom County Jail Tuesday, Nov. 17, on suspicion of three counts of delivering a controlled substance (LSD) and four counts of possession with intent to deliver marijuana, psilocybin mushrooms, MDMA and LSD. Jail records show he is being held in lieu of $10,000 bail.
Canelakes’ arrest was the conclusion of a three-month investigation by the task force along with the Bellingham Police Department and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, according to a sheriff’s office news release.
Task force members made several purchases of LSD and other drugs from Canelakes the past three months in and around Bellingham, the release states.
The task force’s investigation also revealed that Canelakes was selling multiple types of narcotics out of his apartment in the 2000 block of Douglas Avenue, including marijuana, mushrooms, marijuana edibles, MDMA and LSD, according to the release. Canelakes also reportedly used social media to advertise narcotics for sale and arrange transactions.
Most of the transactions were to people under the age of 21, who were not legally able to purchase legal marijuana or marijuana products, the release states, while a large quantity of the marijuana he was selling was being shipped out of the state of Washington to other states where it is illegal.
After receiving a search warrant for Canelake’s apartment, the Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force went to his apartment at approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday and arrested him without incident.
While searching the apartment, according to the release, task force members found and seized:
▪ 103 pounds of illegal marijuana.
▪ 18 pounds of psilocybin mushrooms.
▪ Four ounces of MDMA.
▪ More than 1,800 LSD tablets.
▪ 16 sheets of marijuana “shatter” (or extract).
▪ More than 100 marijuana vape cartridges.
▪ More than $19,000 in U.S. currency.
▪ A handgun.
This story was originally published November 19, 2020 at 5:14 PM.
