RCMP seized 350 lbs. of pot sealed in bags during a traffic stop near the West Kootenay community of Salmo.
Image Credit: SUBMITTED / RCMP
December 10, 2019 - 4:17 PM
A traffic stop for a driver's licence infraction on Highway 3, near Salmo in the West Kootenay, gave Mounties a lot more than they bargained for.
"Upon speaking with the two men in the pickup, an officer formed sufficient grounds to arrest both men for Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking," Cpl. Mike Halskov said in a press release. "A subsequent search of the pickup and trailer yielded over 350 pounds of cannabis in vacuum-sealed bags."
"The pickup and trailer have been seized and the men, both from the West Kootenay, were released on a Promise to Appear for a future court date as the investigation continues."
While cannabis possession, production, distribution and sale have been legalized, the quantity, the manner in which it is packaged, the way it may be distributed and sold remains strictly regulated by law.
The primary mission of BC RCMP Traffic Services is road safety and putting the brakes on travelling criminals that use BC’s highways for their criminal activity, Halskov said.
"The production, distribution and sale of illegal cannabis actually hurts our economy as it permits criminals to avoid paying taxes which support many government programs on which people rely every day," he said.
If you observe suspicious activity on any of B.C.’s highways, contact your local police of jurisdiction or, if you wish to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
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