Traffic stop leads to drug investigation

Police arrested two men and seized a quantity of drugs as a result of a traffic stop in Vernon last week.

On Monday, December 12, 2022 around 2:30 p.m., an officer from the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP’s Targeted Policing Unit conducted a traffic stop with a suspicious vehicle in the 3100-block of 24th Avenue in Vernon. As a result of the ensuing investigation, both men were arrested for possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking. A search of the vehicle following the arrest yielded a quantity of fentanyl and cocaine packaged for street level trafficking. Police also found over 500 prescription pills in bottles inside the vehicle.  None of the bottles were made out to the two men.

Sgt David Evans of the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP’s Targeted Policing Unit comments, This is another example of a concerning trend we are seeing with people selling or trading prescribed medication to street level traffickers who are in turn selling them to people without prescriptions.

A 42-year old Vernon man and 19-year old Abbotsford man were released pending the outcome of the investigation which police anticipate will result in charges being forwarded to Crown Counsel for review.