Two Halifax-based sailors have been arrested and will be facing charges of importing a controlled substance.
According to the Department of National Defence, the arrests came after an investigation by the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service (CFNIS) and the Nova Scotia Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) federal serious and organized crime (FSOC) unit.
Officers from those two units say they saw a sailor take possession of a package of drugs when it was delivered to a home on Mascarene Drive at CFB Halifax on July 18.
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CFNIS arrested Leading Seaman Maxime Mercier, 27, a weapons engineering technician on HMCS Montreal, without incident. The FSOC says its officers seized a package of pills.
The following morning at 9:30 a.m., CFNIS arrested a second Canadian Armed Forces member, Leading Seaman Alexandre Begin. The 31-year-old, who works as a steward at CFB Halifax, was arrested at his place of work.
“I’m impressed by our investigators and law enforcement partners in seamlessly working together on this joint operation. Canadian Armed Forces members should take note of this case and help us keep drugs off our streets by deterring drug offences in our communities,” said Lt.-Col. Kevin Cadman, the commanding officer of the CFNIS in a news release.
“Reporting incidents to authorities protects public safety and promotes the effectiveness of the CAF.”
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Both men will be charged with importing a controlled substance, conspiracy to import a controlled substance and conspiracy to traffic a controlled substance.
The case will be proceeding under the military justice system, although a court-martial date has not been determined yet.