More than 80 drug-impaired driving tickets issued at Shambhala in West Kootenay

BC Highway Patrol handed out hundreds of tickets and busted drivers on drugs at the recent Shambhala Music Festival in the Kootenays.

Officers issued more than 800 tickets, towed 60 vehicles, handed out 59 one-day driving suspensions to drug-impaired drivers and launched 24 criminal investigations for drug-impairment during the festival in Salmo from July 21 to 25, according to an RCMP media release issued today, Aug. 5.

BC Highway Patrol officers were out in force cracking down on drivers on all the mountain passes into Salmo including the Kootenay Pass, Bombi Pass and Paulson Pass.

Police also issued 360 speeding tickets, nine excessive speeding tickets, 11 tickets for no insurance and 11 notices for unsafe vehicles. Excessive speeding is going more than 40 km/h over the posted speed limit.

“The temperatures were high and a little uncomfortable for officers working long days in full uniform, but it’s clear this enforcement was necessary,” BC Highway Patrol media relations officer Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said in the release.

“Police officers were particularly concerned about getting impaired drivers and unsafe vehicles off the road, and they were right to be concerned.”