Police seize drugs, gold Desert Eagle pistol in Vancouver Island busts
The West Shore RCMP seized multiple firearms and a significant amount of drugs in a multi-jurisdictional investigation that spanned southern Vancouver Island.
Throughout the month of May, Mounties say they executed nine search warrants – five on vehicles and four on properties – located in Langford, Victoria, Saanich and the Malahat area.
With assistance from Saanich police, Victoria police, the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team and the RCMP Emergency Response Team, police say they located approximately six kilograms of drugs – including cocaine, meth, fentanyl and psilocybin – and six litres of liquid drugs, suspected to be GHB (gamma hydroxybutyrate).
Police also seized a gold, loaded .50-calibre Desert Eagle handgun, and an "AR-15 style rifle" that was loaded with a prohibited magazine with a capacity of 30 rounds.
Mounties also found large amounts of ammunition, including rifle rounds and shotgun rounds, as well as three prohibited rifle magazines, two handgun magazines and one prohibited silencer.
A replica handgun and two replica rifles were also seized, as well as drug paraphernalia, including a gas mask, police say.
In total, police seized more than $6,000 in cash and more than $10,000 worth of suspected stolen property, much of it in unopened packaging or with security tags still attached, across the nine searches.
"Drugs and Organized Crime Unit investigators are dedicated to disrupting drug trafficking and organized crime," said Sgt. Ryan Walsh with the West Shore RCMP Drugs and Organized Crime Unit in a statement Monday.
"This was a significant seizure that will impact drug trafficking beyond the West Shore," he said. "We thank our partner agencies for their help in this large investigation."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.