Massive drug investigation leads to 18 search warrants; 21 arrests
By Castlegar Source
Over the past four months, members of the Kootenay Boundary Regional Detachment plain clothes General Investigation Section have lead a very resource-intensive investigation, dubbed Project E-PYLORUS, targeting drug trafficking at various events in communities within the West Kootenay/Boundary. Specifically, investigators targeted drug dealers at the Nakusp Music Fest, the Kaslo, Jazz Fest, Shambhala near Salmo, and the Grand Forks International Baseball Tournament.
As a result, 21 individuals are facing various drug trafficking charges under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, including a 26-year-old male from Castlegar, who is facing one count of trafficking a controlled substance.
These charges are in addition to the significant charges and seizures that were previously reported at Shambhala.
Karen Hamling, the Mayor of Nakusp commented that, “Often we think that its just the bigger communities that get this kind of service, so this is really important to the little communities.”
This investigation utilized our Regional General Investigation Section, various uniformed members from throughout Kootenay Boundary Regional Detachment, and other E Division RCMP resources.
On Oct. 25, 18 Warrants for Arrest were issued with six of these being executed on Oct. 26. Two accused have already appeared in court from an arrest and seizure at Shambhala, as well as one accused from Grand Forks already pleading guilty and being sentenced to one year of jail for trafficking methamphetamine.
Inspector Nick Romanchuk, the Officer in Charge of Kootenay Boundary Regional Detachment, said, “Drug trafficking poses a very serious threat to the safety of our communities and Kootenay Boundary Regional Detachment remains committed to continuing to target those individuals who choose to conduct these activities to the detriment of our citizens.”
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