In court documents filed at the Penticton law courts, details are revealed of an alleged international drug smuggling operation, a dramatic aerial police pursuit, and the discovery of a cache of illegal weapons.
In June, authorities were alerted about a planned cross-border drug deal near Winthrop, Washington, according to paperwork filed by police in court to obtain three search warrants.
U.S. officials staked out a landing site where they believed the drugs would be transferred to Canadian buyers.
A black A-star, unmarked helicopter is alleged to have circled the landing zone before something spooked the pilot. Officials believe the pilot may have spotted the covert surveillance team at the landing zone.
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The helicopter fled north into Canadian airspace.
An RCMP plane spotted the helicopter on a remote mountainside near Princeton, B.C., and the aerial pursuit was on.
“As police aircraft followed, the helicopter took many evasive maneuvers in an attempt to lose the RCMP aircraft,” according to the court documents.
“The helicopter flew at very low altitudes, near the tops of the trees and up narrow draws. It repeatedly changed direction, and made rapid ascents towards the mountains.”
The chopper eventually landed at a rural property near Chilliwack, B.C.
Police said a search of the property, which is owned by the pilot, turned up 72 long guns, 35 handguns, U.S. government helicopter decals, drones and cash.
Meanwhile, back at the landing site, the Okanogan County Sheriff Department was involved in retrieving the suitcases stuffed full of methamphetamine. The suitcases were abandoned in the Okanogan National Forest near the town of Mazama.
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Tanya Roman, a spokesperson for the Homeland Security Investigations branch of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), told Global News a total of 272 kilograms of narcotics were intercepted. The street value for the drugs is in the millions of dollars.
“This sizable amount is indicative of the possible involvement of a large and sophisticated smuggling organization,” Roman said in a statement.
“Due to the ongoing investigation and law enforcement sensitivities, we are unable to provide further comment at this time.”
Two men were arrested near the landing zone, as well as the pilot near Chilliwack.
The pilot’s lawyer told Global News his client has not been formally charged on either side of the border.
Transport Canada’s Canadian Civil Aircraft Register shows the helicopter’s registration was cancelled in May 2019.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
The RCMP declined to comment as it said Homeland Security is the lead on the investigation.
— With files from the Canadian Press
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