North Vancouver RCMP say a routine roadblock for impaired driving in the early hours of Tuesday morning netted them a man alleged to be a known gang associate in possession of drugs, cash and a knife.
North Vancouver RCMP officers were conducting an impaired driving enforcement road check near Capilano Road and Marine Drive at about 3 a.m. Tuesday when the incident happened.
A newer model Range Rover approached, and the driver stopped and rolled down the window to speak to one of the officers, said Sgt. Peter DeVries, spokesman for the North Vancouver RCMP.
While questioning the driver, the officer recognized one of the two passengers of the Range Rover, who is known to be associated to the current Lower Mainland gang conflict. During the subsequent investigation, the officer discovered a large amount of cash, two bags of what appeared to be illicit pills, and a knife. The cash, drugs and knife were seized, said DeVries, and the investigation is ongoing.
DeVries said the cash seized was under $10,000. He said there’s no information yet on what drugs the pills contained. Usually those are sent for testing as part of the investigation, he added.
No one was arrested at the scene and no charges have been laid.
DeVries said the seizure of drugs and cash in North Vancouver is part of how police across Metro Vancouver are working together and exchanging information in an effort to prevent more gang violence, which has recently erupted in shootings in a number of public places, including Vancouver International Airport.
The North Shore has not been the scene of any recent high-profile gang activity, but has not been immune from gang violence in the past.
In August 2019, a 35-year-old North Vancouver man was shot in a drive-by shooting in Richmond in a mall parking lot.
In December 2017, 30-year-old Gavinder Grewal, was shot dead in an apartment in the 1500 block of Fern Street. Grewal was known to police for his connection to gangs.
If members of the public wish to provide information anonymously about the Lower Mainland gang conflict, they are to call the Crime Stoppers Gangs & Guns Campaign at 1-800-222-8477 or make a report through the Crime Stoppers website.
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