An incident began during a heavy snowstorm. A snowplow driver spotted a grey Honda CRV parked on Ridge Road in St. John’s. The driver was found slumped over the steering wheel with the engine still running.
When the police arrived 10 minutes later, Martin Marks was starting to regain awareness and realized he was in a serious situation. A subsequent urine test revealed the presence of cocaine, methamphetamine, fentanyl, hydromorphone, and oxycodone in his system.
A search of his vehicle uncovered a BB gun hidden under the driver’s seat, along with close to 100 grams of cocaine, 44 grams of crystal meth, 33 hydromorphone pills, and 124 oxycodone pills.
“A mobile pharmacy,” observed provincial court Judge Paul Noble during a court session.
“You’re about to hear more,” responded prosecutor Trevor Bridger.
The traffic stop marked the beginning of a surveillance operation by the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary on Marks and his partner, Emma Murphy, from February to September 2024.
Police monitored the couple on 47 occasions, witnessing 84 suspected drug transactions, mostly quick hand-to-hand exchanges, as outlined in court records in Marks’s case.
Further investigation revealed that the couple not only operated from their residence in St. John’s but also used a camper in Cochrane Pond, located around 25 kilometers from the city center on Crown land.
An undercover officer, identified as UC Vic, made two purchases from Marks and Murphy during the summer of 2024. One transaction involved buying 8.7 grams of cocaine with 90% purity, while the other involved acquiring 16 grams of cocaine with 95% purity.
On September 22, 2024, police believed they had sufficient grounds for arrest. Warrants were obtained to search both the couple’s home and the camper at Cochrane Pond.
During the search, authorities discovered 521 grams of fentanyl and 846 grams of fentanyl mixtures, including carfentanil, acetylfentanyl, methylfentanyl, and fluorofentanyl.
This marked the largest fentanyl seizure in the history of the province.
“It sounds like a scene from Breaking Bad,” remarked Judge Noble in response to the details presented.
While charges were pending, Marks and Murphy were released. Police continued to observe the couple engaging in drug sales.
Further surveillance conducted between July 9 and July 17, 2025, revealed additional hand-to-hand transactions.
Upon another raid on their residence, police discovered 33.5 grams of fentanyl mixtures, 110 grams of cocaine, and 98 grams of methamphetamine.
Marks pleads guilty
Both individuals faced a range of drug and weapons charges, along with a third person suspected of acting as a courier for the couple.
Marks pleaded guilty to 48 charges. Murphy’s trial is pending, with the next hearing scheduled for October 29.
Marks was initially held at the West Coast Correctional Centre in Stephenville before being transferred to Her Majesty’s Penitentiary in St. John’s recently. This led to some confusion
