RCMP seize guns, drugs and cars from four Okanagan sites

VERNON, B.C. — It’s being called the largest and most significant drug and gun seizure in recent memory for the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP.

A drug trafficking investigation resulted in five people being arrested, dozens of guns being seized along with a significant amount of drugs and cash.

Officers with the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP’s Targeted Policing Unit teamed up with members of the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC), to simultaneously execute four search warrants in three different Okanagan communities on the morning of March 3, 2023.

“The search warrants were the culmination of a two-month long drug trafficking investigation into a group believed to be supplying Vernon and other area communities with various drugs, including fentanyl,” Const. Chris Terleski, media relations officer, said.

Guns and cash seized from three homes and storage locker. (Image Credit: Contributed / RCMP)

The search warrants were executed at residences on Belaire Drive in Armstrong, Stillwater Court in Lake Country, Majoros Road in West Kelowna and a storage locker in West Kelowna.

“Police seized over 30 kilograms of suspected illicit drugs including cocaine, methamphetamine, MDMA, fentanyl, and synthetic opioid pills,” Terleski said. “Over 20 kg is believed to be fentanyl, amounting to what could be 200,000 street level doses.”

In addition to the drugs, police also seized the following items:

• Five motor vehicles
• over $100,000 cash
• 27 assault riffles
• 18 handguns
• Six shotguns
• evidence of firearm manufacturing and assembly
• hard body armour in tactical vests
• commercial pill press believed to be used to manufacture synthetic opioid pills
• commercial mixer for mixing powder drugs

Five people were arrested and later released from custody pending charge approval at the completion of the investigation.

All five individuals are known to police.

“This is by far the largest and most significant drug and gun seizure this team has completed,” Sgt. David Evans of the Targeted Policing Unit, stated. “The assistance of CFSEU-BC demonstrates our shared commitment in battling organized crime and through collaboration, we have the ability to effectively target criminals beyond municipal boundaries.”

Drugs seized by police in raids on March 3. (Image Credit: Contributed / RCMP)