A complaint about a man selling pot to high school students led to the seizure of 16 pounds of illicit cannabis, and that was just one of five significant drug busts the Maple Ridge RCMP highlight from March’s drug enforcement.
The Mounties said their specialized teams, frontline officers, and traffic sections were all disrupting the sale and distribution of illicit drugs, as well as open drug use.
On March 7, officers with the Street Enforcement Unit (SEU) arrested a 22-year-old man suspect for possession for the purpose of trafficking illicit drugs. Complainants said his customers were teens.
Approximately one pound of illicit cannabis was found on the suspect. A search warrant was later executed on the suspect’s residence, where approximately 15 pounds of illicit cannabis, thousands of dollars in cash, and other evidence of drug trafficking were seized.
The investigation is ongoing, as officers continue to process exhibits and submit disclosure packages to Crown counsel.
On March 25, Crime Reduction Unit and SEU officers conducted targeted enforcement against drug traffickers in the downtown core. Officers made multiple arrests, disrupted several drug lines, and seized approximately 134 grams of suspected meth, 32 grams of suspected crack cocaine, 24 grams of suspected fentanyl, and more than $2,000 in cash.
In total, more than 700 doses of illicit drugs were removed from street as a result of that enforcement.
On March 21, frontline officers were conducting patrols when they located a man using drugs on the side of the road. He was arrested under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), and a search incidental to the arrest located drugs, knives (including an illegal switch blade), and stolen credit cards. The suspect had also breaching the conditions of his release, and was transported to police cells to be held for court.
On March 20, Road Safety Target Team officers conducted a traffic stop on a driver for having no insurance. That led to the driver being arrested under the CDSA and having his vehicle searched. Ten baggies of suspected cocaine and one ounce of suspected cannabis was seized. The vehicle was also impounded and multiple violations tickets issued.
Also on March 20, SEU officers were conducting surveillance and enforcement in downtown Maple Ridge when they located a 20-year-old man actively trafficking drugs from a vehicle. An arrest was made, and approximately 27 grams of pre-packaged suspected cocaine and crack cocaine, along with cash, were seized. The investigation is ongoing.
“Maple Ridge RCMP takes illicit drug trafficking activities and the associated risks to public safety in our community very seriously,” said Maple Ridge RCMP SEU Sgt. Trevor Hanson.
“These investigations demonstrate our commitment to being responsive to community concerns and working in alignment with our fellow officers and partner agencies to ensure residents our kept safe,” he concluded.