Six men and two women were arrested in a drug bust Nov. 25, after search warrants were executed in Lee Creek, Scotch Creek and the Village of Chase.
The drug bust was part of a ongoing project that began in October and resulted in arresting those who represented a large part of the area’s drug trade, says Chase RCMP Sgt. Gary Heebner.
Members of the Chase and Salmon Arm RCMP detachments, South East District General Investigation Section and the Police Dog Service from Kamloops all took part in a joint effort, carrying out the search warrant for illegal drugs Sunday. Heebner says that a significant amount of powder cocaine, crack cocaine, cannabis and the components for manufacturing meth were removed from the residences.
As of Tuesday morning, the drugs were still being processed and a dollar amount or weight had not yet been determined. Also removed from the residences, were five rifles and a sawed-off shotgun, and two pellet guns made to look like handguns, says Heebner.
All or most of those arrested lived in the residences, and were well- known to local authorities, he says.
The three locations were raided by police between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
Heebner says the location on Eva Road in Squliax had been frequented by police in the past.
“There was a drug bust there before that involved the Josh Reese matter with the gun take down,” he says, “and there was also an attempt of murder there last winter.”
The other two locations were the fruit stand at the end of Shuswap Avenue off of the Trans-Canada Highway, as well as in a Scotch Creek mobile home park.
Those arrested were between the ages of 19 and 70, says the Chase officer, with the 19-year-old male being one of the major players.
The investigation remains ongoing and no charges have been laid at this time. However, Heebner believes multiple chargers involving possession and possession for the purpose of trafficking will be made. Those involved are expected to appear in court within the next five weeks.