Undercover operation nets dozens of arrests in downtown Kelowna

KELOWNA – A recent undercover sweep of downtown Kelowna has led to the arrest and possible charges against dozens of local drug dealers.

Sgt. Greg Woodcox with the RCMP Downtown Enforcement Unit says over ten days in late April and early May, six officers from other cities went undercover in Kelowna and made 39 arrests. Most of those arrested were repeat offenders.

“We pose as people downtown and try to fit in and get them to sell drugs to us,” he says. “It works really well.”

Woodcox, who was in charge of the operation, says the roundup targeted “chronic offenders” who traffic hard drugs like methamphetamines, heroin and crack cocaine.

“We put out warrants for their arrests and some were easier to find than others” he says. “We’re still looking for three or four but we will find them. It could be today or tomorrow but we know basically where they are.”

A handful of those arrested, he says, were young offenders in their teens.

“Now it’s all in the judge's hands,” he says.

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