Search warrant in Kootenays leads to 6-hour standoff

A search warrant executed in the Kootenays this week led to a lengthy standoff before a peaceful end.

Police say the warrant was served on Wednesday, at 11 a.m., in the Creston area. The basis was alleged drug possession and trafficking at a property near the junction of Highway 3 and Highway 3A.

Creston RCMP say when officers served the warrant, the suspect barricaded himself in the residence.

“A 50-year-old Creston man, who is known to police and has a history of violence and weapons offences, refused to exit or surrender to officers,” said the RCMP.

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The Southeast District Emergency Response Team was called in, with the standoff lasting nearly six hours before the man surrendered and was taken into custody.

“This was a situation where patience, the use of de-escalation techniques and intervention equipment succeeded in bringing the matter to a conclusion without harm being caused to any person,” said Staff Sgt. Brandon Buliziuk.

Police noted while that search warrant was executed, a traffic stop led to two women being arrested, with suspected illicit drugs and weapons being seized. Both are from Creston, ages 30 and 47, and the vehicle was seized.

“We recognize that there are many vulnerable people in our society that are targeted by drug traffickers, specifically with opioids,” said Buliziuk.

“It is a priority for us to target those opioid traffickers through our enforcement initiatives and to limit the availability of illicit street-level drugs in our communities.”