No seatbelt, no ‘N’ and odour leads to drug seizure from driver

The smell of cannabis wafting from a vehicle in Kelowna tipped-off Mounties to other alleged infractions by a driver.

Police say on the afternoon of Friday June 2, members of the RCMP proactive enforcement team’s newly formed “Strike Force” unit were conducting patrols when they noticed a black 2008 Nissan Rogue driving slowly through an area known for drug trafficking. After witnessing several Motor Vehicle Act infractions, the officer conducted a traffic stop.

“While speaking with the driver, officers detected a strong odour of cannabis coming from inside the vehicle,” Const. Mike Della-Paolera stated. “The driver pointed out to the officer there was cannabis in the centre console and a knife between him and the door. The driver was detained for officer safety due to the presence of a knife.”

Della-Paolera said when the officer returned to secure the knife, a baggy of suspected individually-wrapped cocaine, fentanyl, two cellphones and a wallet containing a wad of cash fell to the ground from inside the driver side door. The driver was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and transported to cells.

The vehicle was impounded and the following items were processed; four cellphones, one black knife, 90.3 grams of cocaine, 28.7 grams of fentanyl, 124 pills of Dilauded with 56 unknown yellow pills and a large sum of Canadian currency.

The driver was charged under the Motor Vehicle Act with failing to wear a seatbelt, failing to display an “N” (novice driver) and a driver in possession of cannabis. Further charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking could be laid once lab testing on the suspected controlled substances has been completed.

“This kind of behaviour will not be tolerated and the Kelowna RCMP will continue to be out in full force, removing these dangerous drugs off of our streets,” Della-Paolera, the media relations officer with the Kelowna RCMP, said.