Nanaimo RCMP says a targeted enforcement campaign has turned into arrests after a downtown crackdown wrapped up last week.
According to police, officers were assigned to the downtown core on Aug. 21, which has been experiencing ongoing pressure from criminals, and as a result, they were able to conduct several criminal and provincial investigations.
RCMP says a man was arrested for possession and distribution of unstamped cigarettes, and another was taken into custody in connection with a recent robbery which turned up 27 grams of methamphetamine.
The investigation also showed two vehicles being towed, including one that police knew to relate to a known drug trafficker and one that was found with an unlicensed and uninsured driver.
Reserve constable Gary O’Brien says even though arrests were made, the investigations have just started and are still ongoing.
“The operations do produce a realistic snapshot of the ongoing criminality associated with street-level drug usage,” he says. “It is also a reminder that consistent police presence is required to maintain a semblance of order on our streets.”
Officers seized an additional 14 grams of methamphetamine and 90 grams of Fentanyl during the targeted Special Investigation Team Enforcement campaign.
