Riding without helmet leads to handgun seizure

Click here for large photo of seized gun, drugs and cash

On the night of April 9, along 2nd Avenue near Columbia Street, a Mission RCMP officer pulled over a man riding an electric moped, after the officer saw that he was not wearing a helmet. The man told the officer he did not have any identification on him, but provided a name and date of birth. The officer believed the man was not being truthful and warned him that providing a false name could lead to him being arrested for obstructing a peace officer. The man admitted he had lied, and provided his real name. The officer subsequently determined that the man was a repeat offender, subject to conditions of a Release Order for drug trafficking charges, and was on probation for convictions including carrying a concealed weapon and firearms possession.

During the interaction, the officer also noticed that the man had dropped a package of contraband cigarettes. As a result, the officer arrested the man under the federal Excise Act. Upon being told he was under arrest, the man then admitted that he was in possession of a firearm – which was determined to be a loaded handgun with a silencer tucked into his waistband. An additional search of the man revealed hundreds of dollars in cash, as well as quantities of suspected Fentanyl, Methamphetamine, Cocaine and Cannabis. The man was held in custody for a bail hearing.

Mission RCMP highlight this as an example of how quickly a minor investigation can turn into something significant. What started out as a proactive traffic stop for a basic infraction under the Motor Vehicle Act quickly led to the seizure of drugs and a loaded handgun. The 41-year-old from Mission has since been charged with numerous offences related to weapons possession and breaching various court conditions.