Drug trafficking investigation yields results

VERNON – A drug trafficking investigation has paid off by stifling criminal activity in the community, police say.

RCMP spokesperson Gord Molendyk says an investigation that had been in the works for some time and involved some surveiilance, was concluded Monday evening at the Green Valley Motel.

As a result of the search, two people now have a court date and several others were arrested.

A 24-year-old man has been held for a court appearance Tuesday for outstanding warrants and a breach of conditions, while a 31-year-old man is facing charges of trafficking a controlled substance.

Molendyk says the investigation, and others like it, remind criminals that the police are watching.

"What we have found over the last little while is certain individuals—a small percentage—do a large number of crimes… You target those individuals. A lot of them are on curfew, a lot are on conditions. We have been able to put several of them away."

Keeping an eye on offenders who are on strict conditions sometimes has the effect of pushing them out of the community as well.

"A couple of them chose to relocate to another community because they don't like getting checked at all hours of the day," Molendyk says.

To contact the reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infotelnews.ca, call (250)309-5230 or tweet @charhelston.