On November 3, an RCMP Southeast District Traffic Services unit stopped a vehicle for speeding on Hwy 3 in Keremeos, British Columbia, yielding a sizeable bust thanks to the keen sense of the office and keener sense of smell of his partner RCMPolice dog Otis.
During the course of the vehicle stop at around 3 p.m.on Thursday, Cpl Ryan McLeod made several observations which subsequently led to the arrest of the vehicle occupants for drug possession. The driver was found to possess cocaine on his person and a sealed kilogram brick of cocaine was then found within the vehicle by Otis the chocolate lab, during a search of the vehicle (value of approx $40,000).
“Any time we can take a kilo of cocaine out of circulation, it’s a substantial disruption to someone’s illicit operations. Having one of our traffic services units intercepting it while in transit before it is distributed at street level in our communities, makes it an even bigger disruption that assists in keeping several communities safer and healthier” stated Cpl Dan Moskaluk.
The vehicle, a 2006 Mazda, was also seized and will be sought to be forfeited as offence related property under provisions of the Criminal Code. A 46 year old male from Burnaby B.C. faces charges of cocaine possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Van load of booze
The Keremeos detachment also arrested a male who allegedly took part in a robbery in Penticton on August 1. The male, who resides in Cawston, is accused of holding up a Penticton cab driver with what he claimed was an HIV infected needle.
Also, on Friday, Nov. 4, a member of the Keremeos detachment pulled over a suspicious vehicle and discovered 588 bottles of whiskey.
With a potential value of $34,000, the liquor was seized pending the procurement of a proper receipt for the goods. The 27 year old Burnaby male was driving a vehicle registered in Osoyoos.
Cpl Dan Moskaluk
“E” Division Communications Services
Senior Media Relations Officer
Southeast/North Districts