British Columbia’s anti-gang police unit says investigators seized seven guns, $16,000 in cash and large quantities of drugs during a recent deployment in the Peace River region. Officers with the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. spent two weeks investigating drug trafficking in Fort St. John following an uptick in violence in the community, according to a statement from the unit Friday. The deployment, conducted at the request of the Fort St. John RCMP, ran from Aug. 21 to Sept. 5, and resulted in multiple arrests, the statement said. Police have not announced any charges resulting from the arrests. Investigators seized suspected illicit drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine and fentanyl, along with handguns, rifles and a shotgun, police said. Other weapons seized during the operation included brass knuckles, ammunition, a knife, a BB gun and bear spray. Authorities said the deployment “generated significant intelligence regarding individuals believed to be involved in the ongoing gang conflict and illicit drug trade” in the northern community. The release said the information will assist local police and outside agencies in future targeted enforcement efforts. Sgt. Sarbjit K. Sangha says collaboration between the CFSEU-BC and local police is critical to disrupting gang activity and violence associated with the drug trade. “By combining the local knowledge and intelligence of the Fort St. John RCMP with CFSEU-BC’s specialized enforcement resources, we are better positioned to target those individuals who pose the greatest risk to public safety,” Sangha said in a statement. “We will continue to work with our policing partners to support enforcement and intelligence efforts aimed at keeping communities across British Columbia safe.”
