Durham police led a major raid throughout the GTA, seizing millions of dollars in drugs and cash – and uncovering a substance new to the area dubbed “meow, meow.”

In total, 19 people were arrested alongside the seizure of 14 vehicles, $400,000 in cash, 13 kilograms of marijuana, six kilograms of cocaine, half a kilogram of hashish, and four kilograms of an emerging club drug.

“During [Project Shrike] we came across a new drug to our area: mephedrone,” Insp. David Wilson said at a press conference on Tuesday.

“This is our first seizure and it does concern us as it is one more drug out on the street. It is a recreational drug and a party drug. It produces a similar effect as MDMA (ecstasy), amphetamines and cocaine. The street price is similar to cocaine.”

Investigators say in May, a construction crew clearing the grounds around a Bowmanville décor centre removed a number of garbage bags, patio slabs and debris. When a nearby resident called to say she might have left her car keys in one of the bags, a worker going through the rubbish came across crack cocaine, according to police.

The employee then called police, who later arrested two people and realized the discovery was part of a much larger alleged network connected to Toronto, Markham, Peterborough and Peel region.

On Feb. 10, with the help of the Ontario Provincial Police, and the York, Peterborough-Lakefield, Peel and Toronto police services, detectives raided 18 properties and laid more than 100 drug-related charges.