Fort St. John RCMP say eight people have been arrested after police carried out a large-scale drug trafficking investigation across northeastern British Columbia.
According to RCMP, the Fort St. John Street Enforcement Team executed seven search warrants on Friday, January 23. Five of the warrants were carried out in Fort St. John, with one in Charlie Lake and one in Cecil Lake. The investigation is connected to drug trafficking and organized crime.
Police say officers seized more than 55 firearms during the searches, including handguns and several suppressors. More than two kilograms of suspected cocaine were also seized.
The operation involved multiple police units, including Fort St. John RCMP Street Enforcement, Serious Crime and Frontline officers, B.C. Highway Patrol, and police teams from Dawson Creek, Alberta, and specialized crime reduction units.
RCMP say the investigation was driven by ongoing enforcement targeting organized crime and was made more urgent following an increase in gun violence in Fort St. John during October and November of last year.
Sergeant Ian Rissanen says the operation removed a significant amount of illegal drugs and firearms from the community and that enforcement efforts will continue to support public safety.
All eight individuals arrested are from the region. RCMP say they were later released from custody pending charge approval as the investigation continues.
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