(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)

One man is still awaiting trial after police seized his vehicle, guns and drugs in Kamloops, but now the province wants to keep the SUV.

Zachary George William Engelland, born in 1997, was arrested in November in what Kamloops RCMP at the time called a "high-risk" traffic stop.

The province's Civil Forfeiture Office is looking to the court so it can seize his 2019 Nissan Rogue and around $3,000 in cash found inside.

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He was in the vehicle with Russell George Engelland, who was born in 1962. Not only do they share a last name but they also live at the same address in Surrey. Their relationship, however, was not mentioned in the notice of claim.

Kamloops RCMP said at the time the SUV was pulled over in Valleyview because the officer noticed its license plate was obstructed.

The officer then "quickly recognized" a man who had a known history of firearm offences.

“Recognizing the risks associated to dealing with an offender known to have a violent history, the officer requested backup, then continued with the motor vehicle investigation,” Supt. Jeff Pelley said in the November news release.

The driver, Zachary Engelland, was "uncooperative" as he refused to get out of the vehicle and tried to get into his handbag multiple times, where a loaded handgun was later found.

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Zachary was arrested after a "struggle." Two passengers, including the older Russell, were arrested, but only Zachary was charged.

When they searched the SUV, police found just over $3,000 in cash, according to the notice of claim. There were two "man purses" inside, each carrying a handgun. One was a loaded .22 calibre handgun and the other was a 3D-printed 9 mm.

Zachary did not have a firearms license, according to the claim.

Police also seized break-in tools, five pairs of latex gloves, two cans of bear spray, four knives and weigh scales. The drugs included 360 grams of fentanyl, 23.5 grams of meth, 0.2 grams of MDMA and 50 grams of hydromorphone, all packaged for sale, according to the claim.

The vehicle was being used for unlawful activity, the civil forfeiture office claimed.

The Engellands have not responded in court to the claim and the allegations haven't been proven in court.

Zachary is meanwhile heading to trial. He was initially facing five charges, but the Crown reduced his four firearm-related charges to just one, while he is still charged with resisting arrest, according to online court documents.

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