From the outside, it looked like an ordinary home on a quiet Markham court.

But on the inside, it was a drug lab producing the synthetic drug ketamine.

Yesterday, York Regional Police executed 10 search warrants and charged seven people in connection to what Const. Andy Pattenden described as, “the largest ketamine lab operation in York Regional Police history”.

Sixty kilograms of ketamine, with street value estimated at $2.5 million, was seized, along with more than $300,000 in cash.

The investigation is ongoing, but police believe the house, located at 5 Castle Court, was the primary production facility and is now quarantined, along with the house next door.

“This is a massive hit to this crime group,” said Det.-Sgt. Peter Casey. “I think the price of Ketamine in the GTA just went up last night.”

York investigators joined Toronto police in executing the search warrants at residences in Markham, Toronto and Stouffville.

“While it is a large seizure of ketamine, we are not that surprised,” Det.-Sgt. Casey said. “We know within the GTA these sorts of things, these search operations occur even in safe neighbourhoods as our own.”

But he said they feel fortunate they were able to discover this operation.

“Not only to get these drugs off the street, but to stop this operation from continuing in our neighbourhood.”