Mission – Neighbours are hopefully sleeping a little better, after Mission RCMP executed a search warrant at a house linked to drug trafficking in the downtown area of Mission.
After residents reported that they believed drugs were being sold out of a residence on 1st Avenue west of Alder Street, Mission RCMP opened an investigation into the matter. Once sufficient evidence had been gathered, one of Mission RCMP’s General Duty officers obtained a search warrant for the house. Officers from both General Duty and Mission RCMP’s Crime Reduction Unit executed the search warrant on April 9, and found evidence consistent with the house being used as a base for drug trafficking. Items located included the following:
- Suspected Methamphetamine;
- Suspected Fentanyl;
- Suspected crack cocaine or Carfentanil;
- Scales and packaging materials;
- A large amount of suspected stolen property, including clothing from various retail stores, liquor, tools and a drone;
- A large amount of cash.
All of these items were seized, and police are in the process of trying to identify owners of the stolen property. Descriptions of anything not matched up with an owner will be released by Mission RCMP at a later date, to try to identify any outstanding owners.
When the search warrant was executed, one person inside was detained, but has since been released pending further investigation. Among the evidentiary requirements that police must meet in order to recommend charges against anyone in this case:
- The drugs located must be sent for lab testing in order to confirm they are illicit drugs in contravention of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;
- Once the drug types are confirmed, a court-recognized drug expert must then review the evidence and prepare an opinion on the offences committed – essentially saying that the quantity and packaging of the drugs, in combination with other evidence, was consistent with someone selling drugs, as opposed to just someone who had a large amount for personal use;
- Simply finding someone in a house where there are drugs – even if they are the owner or renter – may be insufficient to actually charge that person with a drug offence. Police need to do additional investigation in order to actually demonstrate that person was involved in the dealing, or otherwise had possession or control of the drugs in the house. This can be especially difficult in some houses where numerous people come and go throughout the day.
Although police have no ability to permanently stop drugs from being sold out of that house, investigators believe that the loss of the drugs and cash presents a significant downfall to those involved in the operation, and that they are unlikely to risk restarting sales at that location. Police will be keeping a close eye on the house, and could obtain another search warrant in the future if there is evidence that the dealing has started up again. Anyone wanting to report concerns with drug dealing at a particular location should call Mission RCMP at 604-826-7161.
