Suspects behind bars after Broadway bust

A Winnipeg Police Service cruiser is shown in an undated file image. (CTV News Winnipeg)

Three people are in jail after a chance encounter with police led to a drug bust in downtown Winnipeg Thursday.

Winnipeg Police say it happened around 11:25 p.m. in the 300 block of Broadway, where an officer was searching a back lane with his flashlight on an unrelated matter. He was called over to a nearby vehicle and saw what looked to be a clear bag of crack cocaine on the driver’s lap.

The officer called in backup, and the male driver and a female passenger were arrested at the scene. A third male occupant tried to flee, but police caught him shortly after. He was found to have a loaded .45 calibre handgun.

Upon searching the vehicle, officers found a loaded 9mm handgun with a high-capacity magazine containing 21 rounds of ammunition. They also seized 19.1 grams of crack cocaine, 32 grams of cocaine, and $884.25 in cash.

A 22-year-old man, 20-year-old-man, and 28-year-old woman, all from Winnipeg, face numerous drug trafficking and weapons-related charges. The charges have yet to be proven in court.