Norfolk man charged after RCMP shut down drug lab making date rape drug

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have dismantled a drug lab in Oxford County, where they found a large amount of materials to make a date rape drug.

Officers say they began an investigation in November after the Canada Border Services Agency reported suspicious imports made by Kenneth Camacho and his business Cam Valley Farms.

They allege that since the summer of 2024, Camacho had imported over 1,500 kg of an unregulated chemical that could be used to make the date rape drug GHB — gamma hydroxybutyrate.

The synthetic drug is often used to spike the drinks of unknowing victims.

As part of the investigation, detectives say they found a drug lab at an address outside of Norwich and executed search warrants on Jan. 24.

Investigators say they seized $300,000 worth of suspected GHB, enough chemicals to make $9 million worth of GHB, lab equipment and a significant amount of hazardous waste, among other items.

The Mounties describe it as a “large, well organized illicit drug lab”.

Police have charged 41-year-old Kenneth Augustine Camacho from Delhi with several offences including: producing a controlled substance, possessing chemicals and equipment for the purpose of producing a controlled substance, and for possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

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