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Last night, a vehicle stop conducted by a North Vancouver RCMP officer for a minor traffic violation, turned up drugs, cash, and a sawed-off shotgun. The officer spotted the vehicle as it entered the Second Narrows Bridge travelling above the posted speed limit.
When the driver failed to signal a lane change, the officer initiated a traffic stop. "Once he identified the three occupants, he discovered one of them was wanted on an outstanding arrest warrant," said Sgt. Peter DeVries of the North Vancouver RCMP. "He arrested the man, and a search of the vehicle incidental to the arrest revealed a sizeable amount of cash, drug trafficking paraphernalia and a sawed off shotgun."
Benjamin James Gilleland, a 35-year-old resident of Surrey, was held in custody to be brought before a judge on the outstanding warrant, while the other two occupants were released at the scene.
The investigation of Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Distribution and Possession of a Prohibited Weapon, continues. "Sometimes, our officers are criticized for pulling over vehicles for minor offences," said DeVries. "Nobody enjoys being pulled over and possibly served a ticket. But the truth is, this type of enforcement does so much more than just keep our streets safe from poor drivers. Traffic enforcement often enables us to identify dangerous offenders and remove guns and drugs off our streets."
