The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit – British Columbia (CFSEU-BC) Uniformed Gang Enforcement Team (UGET) teamed up with the West Shore RCMP this month in an effort to combat the drug trade in the region.
The collaborative operation, at the request of West Shore RCMP, was aimed at disrupting the drug trafficking activities in the area.
The campaign saw officers from various units within the West Shore RCMP, including the Drugs and Organized Crime, Crime Reduction, Bike Patrol, and Uniformed Gang Enforcement teams, along with the specialized UGET unit of CFSEU-BC.
Police said the operation focused on known crime hot-spots and utilized up-to-date information gathered by both West Shore RCMP and CFSEU-BC’s Crime Analysts.
Over the course of a three-day operation, officers conducted 19 separate investigations, all centered around drug trafficking, which resulted in the seizure of substantial evidence, including:
- Over $8,000 in cash
- Various weapons, including 1 handgun, 2 cans of bear spray, a crossbow, a baton, and 2 knives
- Small quantities of multiple types of drugs, suspected to include fentanyl, methamphetamine, and crack cocaine
- The arrest of 8 individuals on charges related to drug trafficking
“Success is measured for the Uniform Gang Enforcement Team of CFSEU-BC not only by the enforcement results but by how well they can build partnerships to increase the overall effectiveness and capacity of gang and violence suppression in British Columbia,” said Sgt Brenda Winpenny, Media Relations Officer CFSEU-BC.
“Working with law enforcement partners, and building upon local efforts is a primary goal for UGET and all of CFSEU-BC.”
While detailed information regarding the ongoing drug trafficking investigations is being kept confidential, West Shore RCMP confirmed that one of the cases involved a traffic stop near the 800-block of Goldstream Avenue in Langford.
During this stop, officers identified a 33-year-old male passenger who was wanted on multiple unendorsed warrants related to an investigation by the Vancouver Police Department.
These warrants included charges of attempted murder, discharging a firearm, and unlawful discharge of a firearm. Upon searching the vehicle, the officers uncovered an unloaded handgun, and the wanted man was taken into custody.
“West Shore RCMP works collaboratively with other organizations and agencies to target drugs and organized crime in the West Shore. We thank CFSEU-BC’s UGET for their enforcement efforts in the West Shore,: said said Inspector Stephen Rose, Officer in Charge of Operations at West Shore RCMP.
Police said the incidents above were separate from the incident earlier this month that saw a large quantity of drugs and cash seized during a three traffic stops. Multiple people were arrested for drug trafficking.
