Date: Thursday, July 4, 2024 

File: 24-19759 

Victoria, BC – On June 25, a male was taken into custody in the West Shore after VicPD’s General Investigative Services (GIS) section conducted a covert drug trafficking investigation, resulting in the seizure of 20 real firearms, over 20,000 rounds of ammunition, $27,000 in cash, 4.5 kilograms of cocaine and two sets of ballistic armour. 

In early June, GIS officers began a covert investigation on a suspected drug trafficker. A search warrant for a residence in the 800-block of Pintail Place was granted by a Judge. As the residence was in Langford, West Shore RCMP’s Emergency Response Team assisted the Greater Victoria Emergency Response team and VicPD’s Strike Force team in the arrest of the suspect at the residence on June 25. Upon search of the residence, officers seized multiple firearms and a high quantity of cocaine, ammunition and cash, pictured below. 



20 Real Firearms and 4.5 Kilograms Were Seized From One Arrest

“I am proud of the officers involved for their hard work and determination in this investigation,” says VicPD Chief Del Manak. “These offenders pose a threat to the safety and wellbeing of our communities, so we will continue our efforts to prevent those that choose to engage in illegal drug trafficking, which fuels the toxic drug crisis in BC.” 

“In addition to the inherit dangers imposed on the community related to the trafficking of toxic drugs, we often see a concerning level of violence associated with these behaviours,” says VicPD Spokesperson Constable Terri Healy. “Our enforcement targets the dangerous individuals and weapons that impact the safety of our neighbourhoods. In this case, the suspect had 20 firearms in the residence and thousands of rounds of ammunition that were all seized as a result of this investigation.” 

The suspect was released from custody pending further investigation. 

Why Was This Person Released?   

Bill C-75, which came into effect nationally in 2019, legislated a “principle of restraint” that requires police to release an accused person at the earliest possible opportunity after considering certain factors which include the likelihood the accused will attend court, the imminence of the risk posed to public safety, and the impact on confidence in the criminal justice system. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides that every person has the right to liberty and the presumption of innocence pre-trial. Police are also asked to consider the circumstances of Indigenous or vulnerable persons in the process, in order to address the disproportionate impacts that the criminal justice system has on these populations. 

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