A takedown on New Year’s Eve, say Kelowna RCMP, yielded drugs, cash and a loaded firearm.
Police say the Dec. 31 takedown stemmed from a drug investigation that began on Nov. 21, with RCMP looking into a suspected drug-trafficking operation occurring at a hotel along the 1500 block of Highway 33 in Kelowna.
“Throughout the investigation, officers learned the suspect was trafficking drugs out of his hotel room,” said Kelowna RCMP.
“The suspect was operating a drive-thru of sorts, where, in some instances, customers would drive up to the room, remain in their vehicle and the suspect would sell them drugs through their car window.”
On Dec. 31, police executed a search warrant on the hotel room, with officers seizing 2.5 ounces of meth, two ounces of fentanyl, 1.5 ounces of crack cocaine, $4,100 in cash and a loaded handgun.
Police say the suspect, a 45-year-old man, was arrested without incident.
RCMP say they are recommending the following charges to prosecutors: possession of a controlled substance for the purposes of trafficking, unauthorized possession of a restricted weapon and possession of a restricted weapon with ammunition,
“The amount of fentanyl seized during this investigation equates to over 500 lethal doses,” said Sgt. Desmond Kiehlbauch of the Kelowna RCMP Drugs and Organized Crime Section.
“Our officers have prevented a significant quantity of dangerous and highly-addictive drugs from getting to our streets.”