A drug bust last week saw the long arm of the law stretch across Canada following a year-long investigation.
Kelowna RCMP say they began investigating a local individual in June 2022, and soon found out he had ties to criminal activities not only in B.C., but also in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and possibly Ontario.
In fact, they said the unnamed suspect frequently travelled to Vancouver, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg and Toronto, “engaging in numerous suspicious cash transactions with individuals previously convicted of drug and firearms offences.”
And nine days ago, on Aug. 31, RCMP said that Kelowna Strike Force members arrested the suspect after he left a known stash location in West Kelowna.
Afterwards, seven search warrants were executed in Kelowna, West Kelowna, Peachland, Merritt, Calgary, Burnaby and Chilliwack.
“These searches resulted in the seizure of three handguns, one replica firearm, over 5 kilograms of controlled substances including fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, synthetic cannabinoids and 11 kilograms of marijuana,” said the RCMP.
Global News has reached out to police for more information.
“This was a great example of an interprovincial investigation conducted by the Kelowna Strike Force unit with the support of our partner agencies in BC and Alberta,” said Kelowna Insp. Beth McAndie.
“The community impact of seizing this quantity of illicit drugs and the associated potential risk of overdose due to the toxic nature of these drugs is immeasurable.
“The RCMP’s ability to leverage partnerships across western Canada was key to the success of this investigation. The dedication and professionalism demonstrated by this team to drive this investigation should also be weighed with the immense contribution this unit gave to the recent McDougall Creek wildfire police response.”
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