This weekend marks the start of impaired driving month in Alberta and police are ramping up their checkstops.
On Friday evening, Calgary police and MADD Canada volunteers were set up on Edmonton Trail when within 30 minutes, a man was arrested for alleged drug trafficking.
He was initially pulled to side for having a vodka cooler in his cupholder. Police then spotted a small bag of cocaine in plain view on his passenger seat.
A search of the vehicle led to an arrest on trafficking charges.
“All of the stuff in front of us indicates that it’s a low- level drug trafficker. Cellphone’s ringing off the hook, crack and cocaine separately packaged up for easy distribution,” Const. Dan Kurz, with the Calgary Police Service, said.
Officers also seized $2,500 cash from the vehicle.
“It’s not something that you see every day but it’s kind of a jackpot when you do find it,” Kurz said.
Drivers across the province are being warned that an Alberta-wide RCMP blitz is underway.
READ MORE: Alberta-wide checkstop blitz on Dec. 3 targets impaired drivers
“December of course is the month where people celebrate Christmas with family, friends, coworkers, parties,” Const. Michael Hibbs, with the Alberta RCMP Traffic Services, said. “We want to get the message out early that we’re looking for impaired operation.”
RCMP said the checkstops will run throughout Saturday and into Sunday morning. Some checkstops will be mobile and moving locations in order to cover as much of the province as possible.
Drivers suspected of being impaired will be subject to road-side sobriety tests that may result in immediate licence suspensions and/or criminal charges.
With files from Global’s Melissa Gilligan
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