March 5 to March 8 was not a good time to be involved in the drug trade on Vancouver Island.
The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia鈥檚 Uniform Gang Enforcement Team (UGET) making arrests and multiple seizures of drugs, cash and weapons in Nanaimo and Langford.
鈥淥ver the three days of enforcement action conducted by UGET members, they not only seized a significant amount of street-level drugs, cash and weapons but also made drug traffickers very aware that they were being watched鈥�, said Cpl. Sarbjit Sangha, media relations officer for the CFSEU, in a news release.
On March 6, UGET officers conducted a traffic stop on Goldstream Avenue and Jacklin Road where two were arrested for possession for the purposes of trafficking. They seized GHB, suspected prescription pills, and multiple cellphones.
The same day, in a traffic stop for speeding in the area of Goldstream Avenue and Wale Road, two more were arrested for possession for the purposes of trafficking. The CFSEU says officers seized multiple baggies of suspected drugs, namely methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine, as well as cellphones and cash.
These investigations remain ongoing.
In the same area, on the same day, UGET conducted another traffic stop and arrested a wanted man with three unendorsed warrants. They also assisted West Shore RCMP with a "fail to stop" for a police investigation. Upon arresting the suspect, drugs and weapons were seized. The investigation remains ongoing by West Shore RCMP.
The next day, one man was arrested for prohibited driving during a traffic stop in the area of Peatt Road and Hockley Avenue. Additionally, UGET members conducted a traffic stop in the area of Atkins Avenue and Winster Road where the driver, a well-known drug trafficker in the area, was arrested for failing to stop for police.
Officers seized "a large amount of money as proceeds of crime," and the investigation remains ongoing.
Sangha said officers seized about five grams of cocaine, five grams of methamphetamine, an unknown quantity of ketamine, and at least $5,000 in cash in the city.
The enforcement sweep also reached up-Island, where more suspects were nabbed by police in Nanaimo.
The Nanaimo arrests happened March 7 when UGET officers stopped a vehicle near Strickland and Robins streets and found one occupant had multiple outstanding warrants and was arrested. Police also seized large amounts of pre-packaged drugs, scales and cash.
Two more suspects were taken into custody in Nanaimo March 8, when members conducted a traffic stop near Townsite Road and Millstone Avenue and arrested the driver for alleged possession for the purpose of trafficking charges and police seized a large bag of prepackaged drugs and cash. That investigation is continuing, the release noted.
Another traffic stop near the Value Lodge Motel on Nicol Street turned up a driver who had an active warrant out of Coquitlam and was subsequently taken into custody.
The team went on to conduct multiple traffic stops of well-known drug traffickers, some of whom were from the area, as well as others from out of town.
