A two-month firearms investigation resulted in a host of guns and drugs coming off the streets and a local man facing charges, Altona Police report.
On Jan. 3, Altona officers—with assistance from the Regional Support Tactical Team, the Winkler K-9 unit, and the Winkler department’s Remotely Piloted Aircraft System team—executed a search warrant at residence on 2nd Street SW in Altona.
The bust was the culmination of firearms investigations conducted by both the Altona Police Service and Pembina Valley RCMP.
The suspect was arrested away from his residence. Once he was in custody, police searched his home. A second adult male was located within the residence, but was released at the scene without charges.
Police seized multiple firearms, including two short barreled tactical shotguns along with a bull pup style assault rifle and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
Also seized was approximately 300 grams of cocaine with an estimated street value of $33 000, drug packaging material, and over $10,000 in Canadian currency.
The 46-year-old suspect is facing multiple charges of unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of cocaine for the purposes of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime, and possession of stolen property.
Police are expecting further weapon and drug related charges to be laid as the investigation continues.
“This investigation again shows how the region’s different police services work together for the betterment of the entire region,” noted Chief Dan Defer of the Altona Police Service in a statement on the arrest.
