Search warrants executed simultaneously at two Castlegar homes

A pair of search warrants executed by police concurrently at two locations in the city resulted in arrests and the seizure of suspected illicit drugs, cash and vehicles.

April 22, 2021 members of the Castlegar RCMP Crime Reduction Unit (CRU), with support from frontline general duty officers executed a pair of search warrants in connection to an active investigation into drug trafficking. Those warrants were executed simultaneously on two Castlegar area homes.

Police executed one of the search warrants at a home in the 2600-block of 5 Avenue, where two men were taken into custody without incident. Investigators seized suspected cocaine, items consistent with the trafficking of illicit drugs, over $78,000 in currency and two motor vehicles.

The second search warrant was related to a residence in the 200-block of 3 Avenue, where one woman was taken into police custody, also without incident. A search of the woman’s home yielded suspected cocaine, suspected methamphetamine, some cash and another vehicle.

The Public Prosecution Service of Canada has approved charges against a 36-year-old man and a 54-year-old woman. The other man was released unconditionally and without charge.

36-year-old Andrew Cancela has been formally charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance for purpose of trafficking contrary to section 5 (2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. At the time of his arrest, Cancela was bound by bail conditions associated to trafficking charges that stem from November of 2020. He was remanded into custody by the courts.

54-year-old Lisa Melville has been formally charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance for purpose of trafficking contrary to section 5 (2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Melville was later released on strict conditions imposed by the courts. She is expected to appear in Castlegar Court next on May 5, 2021.