Vancouver resident convicted in Georgia for dark web fentanyl ring tied to two Navy deaths

British man Paul Nicholls, 47, convicted in the U.S. for running a dark web fentanyl operation from Vancouver that killed two U.S. Navy sailors in 2017.

Vancouver man found guilty in U.S. over dark web fentanyl network that killed two sailors

A British national who was living in Vancouver has been convicted in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Georgia for his role in a dark web fentanyl trafficking operation linked to the deaths of two U.S. Navy sailors in 2017, Global News reports.

Paul Anthony Nicholls, 47, conspired with at least one other person to operate a drug trafficking account known as "Canada1" on the now-defunct dark web marketplace "Dream Market." A four-day jury trial returned guilty verdicts on two counts: Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances Resulting in Death and Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Resulting in Death.

Nicholls faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 20 years in prison, with a maximum of life imprisonment, as well as significant monetary penalties.

Fentanyl concealed in nasal spray, shipped via Canada Post

Lower Mainland RCMP officers testified during the trial that they intercepted more than 40 packages containing fentanyl in both nasal spray and powder form.

"They were importing fentanyl into Canada and then they were concealing it in nasal spray and then trafficking that via people purchasing it on the dark web," said Sgt. Tammy Lobb, media relations officer for the RCMP's Federal Policing Pacific Region.

Mounties had been tracking Nicholls and a second man, Thomas Federuik, and captured them allegedly dispatching fentanyl shipments through Canada Post. Thirteen RCMP officers travelled to Georgia to testify at trial.

U.S. Navy deaths triggered cross-border investigation

U.S. authorities contacted the RCMP after two members of the U.S. Navy overdosed and died from drugs linked to the operation.

"At that point, law enforcement in the U.S. worked with our investigators here and they identified linkages in that investigation," Lobb said. "Our investigators here had recommended approximately 77 charges on two individuals that they had arrested here in the Lower Mainland as they identified as being allegedly responsible for these crimes."

Following consultation with U.S. officials, it was determined that the U.S. Attorney's Office would take conduct of the prosecutions.

Co-accused awaiting extradition

Federuik remains in Canada on bail, awaiting extradition to the United States. He faces one count of Conspiracy to Import Controlled Substances Resulting in Death, one count of Conspiracy to Distribute Controlled Substances Resulting in Death, and one count of money laundering.

Expert witness testimony at trial valued the fentanyl analogues recovered from Federuik's home at $24,000,000 USD and indicated that the substances present were sufficient to kill 375,000 people.

Prosecutors and DEA respond to verdict

"Two of our navy sailors died because of Nicholls' distribution of lethal drugs. My office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who harm people in our communities," said U.S. Attorney Meg Heap in a statement.

"This conviction was achieved through the hard work and cooperation of our law enforcement officers and Canadian law enforcement," Heap added.

Jae W. Chung, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Field Division, said the case demonstrated that dark web operators are not insulated from real-world consequences.

"Drug traffickers who operate on the dark web often believe their crimes are detached from real-world consequences. This conviction proves that couldn't be further from the truth," Chung said. "DEA will continue working with our state and local partners in pursuing those who endanger lives for profit."

Source: Global News