Man charged after investigation into B.C. drug trafficking network, police say

Police in British Columbia say a 31-year-old man has been charged following an investigation into a drug trafficking network operating in the Lower Mainland and Interior.

The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. says in a statement that its investigation began in the Lower Mainland last July, but the team soon uncovered the network reached as far as Kamloops.

It says officers from the unit and the Kamloops RCMP served three search warrants in the city in December, which led to the seizure of 11 kilograms of drugs, including methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine, two firearms and $111,000 in cash.

Four people were arrested for drug trafficking as a result of those searches. They were released pending charge approval.

Police say the investigation continued with another seven search warrants served this month for vehicles, a storage locker and four homes in Vancouver and Burnaby.

They say those searches resulted in three people being arrested, including the 31-year-old who now faces charges. including drug trafficking and possession of firearms without a licence.

The unit says a small-scale clandestine lab was also dismantled at one of the condos that was searched in Vancouver last week, where two kilograms of suspected drugs, 18 firearms, smoke grenades and about $200,000 were seized.