Tactical police units from Victoria and Langford seized 20 guns, thousands of rounds of ammunition and 4.5 kilograms of cocaine during a raid on the West Shore home of a suspected drug trafficker last month.
One person was arrested after the June 25 raid at the residence in the 800-block of Pintail Place in Langford’s Bear Mountain area, but has since been released from custody pending further investigation, police said.
West Shore RCMP’s Emergency Response Team, with assistance from VicPD’s Strike Force and the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team, also seized $27,000 in cash and two sets of ballistic armour. The guns ranged from rifles to handguns, with more than 20,000 rounds of ammunition.
Victoria police said they started a covert operation targeting the suspect in early June and received a warrant from a judge to search the residence.
“I am proud of the officers involved for their hard work and determination in this investigation,” Victoria Police Chief Del Manak said in a statement. “These offenders pose a threat to the safety and well being of our communities, so we will continue our efforts to prevent those that choose to engage in illegal drug trafficking, which fuels the toxic drug crisis in B.C.”
VicPD spokesperson Const. Terri Healy said in addition to the inherent dangers of trafficking in toxic drugs, a “concerning” level of violence is associated with drug-dealing.
“In this case, the suspect had 20 firearms in the residence and thousands of rounds of ammunition that were all seized as a result of this investigation.”
In a statement, Victoria police said the suspect met the requirements of release under Bill C-75, which requires police to release an accused person at the earliest possible opportunity after considering certain factors, including the likelihood the accused will attend court, the imminence of the risk posed to public safety and the impact on confidence in the criminal justice system.
