A 37-year-old man is in custody after police in Strathroy-Caradoc, Ont., say they found firearms and a bag containing grenades on Thursday.
Police say officers received a call around 3:30 p.m reporting a suspicious man in Mount Brydges. According to the caller, the man appeared to be under the influence of either drugs or alcohol.
Police say they found the man near the area of Adelaide Road and Railway Avenue, where they say he left in a taxi. When browsing the immediate area, police say officers discovered two loaded flare guns that had been converted to fire shotgun ammunition.
Not long after, Strathroy-Caradoc police, along with Ontario Provincial Police, conducted a high-risk vehicle stop on Adelaide Road north of Walker’s Drive.
Upon arresting the man, police say they found a bag that contained what appeared to be two hand grenades.
Strathroy-Caradoc police say they contacted the OPP explosives disposal unit, which responded and safely disposed of the hand grenades.
As a result of the investigation, a 37-year-old man has been charged with 14 firearm- and explosives-related charges.
The accused is being held pending a bail hearing. Police are not releasing the accused’s name until the charges are before the courts.
There was no risk to public safety at the time of the incident, according to police. Adelaide Road was closed for an extended period of time, and all residents in the area were advised to stay inside until the explosives were disposed of safely.
Police say no other suspects were involved.