Local gym, supplement shop part of steroid probe, By: Sharon Montgomery January 26, 2007,Cape Breton Post
SYDNEY — Two Cape Breton businesses were searched Thursday as part of a RCMP drug investigation in three provinces.
RCMP would not release the names of the businesses involved, but the Cape Breton Post has learned Naturally Fit on
George Street, Sydney, was one of them. The other was a fitness facility.
Jimmy Durando, owner of Naturally Fit, which sells supplements and proteins, said he has no idea what is going on.
“(The police search) was all a pretty big surprise.”
The RCMP will hold a press conference in Fredericton, N.B., this morning, detailing a two-year investigation into drug trafficking, money laundering and firearms.
Sgt. Dennis Roy, of the RCMP’s integrated proceeds of crime unit in Moncton, confirmed two businesses in the CapeBretonRegionalMunicipality were searched.
“Two (CapeBreton) businesses were involved in the investigation — which started in New Brunswick — into trafficking in steroids. No charges have been laid yet; the investigation is continuing.”
Corp. Gilles Blinn, acting media relations officer in Fredericton, said Operation Jellybear was centred in Fredericton. A number of locations in Moncton and Saint John, N.B., as well as Nova Scotia and Ontario were searched.
“It is expected that at least 18 people, including two females, will be arrested,” he said.
Durando said he received a call at about Thursday from an employee who said RCMP were searching the premises.
“They took the franchise agreement and some documents and invoices. Just paperwork I had in an accordion folder. ”
Durando went to the RCMP detachment in Reserve Mines.
“They asked me a lot of questions, including about the franchise, how long I knew the owner of the (chain). There are 16 franchises across the country and I believe they were all searched.”
Durando said he met the owner once, when he travelled to New Brunswick a year ago to buy the business. He said it is a well-established company which has been in operation for about eight years.
He spent Thursday trying to reach the owner of the chain.
“I have called five or six times, I paid a lot of money for the franchise, I just want to know what is going on.”
