Gangsters and drug traffickers got a rough ride in Prince George over the weekend, with a raid on two crack shacks and a crackdown by Metro Vancouver’s Uniformed Gang Task Force.
Four loaded guns and large quantities of methamphetamine, ecstacy, cocaine, crack and heroin were seized and several people were arrested at the crack shacks – one on Milburn Street and the other on Quince Street.
The Quince house, run by a local gang, had a bullet hole through the window, though no shooting had been reported, RCMP Const. Lesley Smith said in a release.
She thanked the community for tips to police about drug houses.
"The information provided by the community has resulted in the seizure of a number of weapons and drugs and ultimately prevented a substantial quantity of drugs from being distributed on our streets," she said.
Meanwhile, GTF specialists from Metro Vancouver joined Prince George RCMP to search gang members in local bars and restaurants over the weekend, resulting in a number of seizures and arrests.
Twelve gangsters and associates were arrested for breaches and other offences. Another 14 were kicked out of the establishments they were in.
And during vehicle checks, the GTF located hidden compartments – which are now illegal in B.C. – inside vehicles owned by gang members or their affiliates.
Smith said the GTF "recognized a number of gang members and their associates in Prince George who are from the Lower Mainland, indicating that the local gangs are all linked to other areas of the province."
Prince George RCMP Inspector Chris Bomford said having the expertise of the uniformed GTF in town was invaluable in combination with Prince George’s own gang section of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit and the local drug section and crime-reduction teams.
"We were able to make a significant impact on gang-related offences. Taking both drugs and weapons off our streets makes our streets and community a safer place to live," Bomford said. "We are working to strenghten our relationship with the Uniformed Gang Task Force and bring them back to Prince George on a regular basis to supplement and complement our efforts to reduce crime in the Prince George area."
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