Police busted an Abbotsford home on Thursday afternoon and arrested a man with apparent gang connections.
The 23-year-old is now facing four counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking. He cannot be named until charges are laid.
Const. Ian MacDonald said the Abbotsford Police Department’s drug enforcement and gang suppression units, as well as the Municipal Integrated Emergency Response Team, executed a drug warrant at the home in the 3200 block of Trafalgar Street at about 2 p.m.
Police seized small quantities of cocaine, heroin and crack cocaine, as well as 100 to 150 OxyContin pills.
Three people were detained – also including a male youth and a 46-year-old woman – but only the man was arrested.
MacDonald said the drugs seized are indicative of someone who is dealing them or supplying them to dealers.
“This kind of stash has the earmarks of someone who has some kind of connections to drug-line work,” he said.
Although the suspect is allegedly associated with gangs, it’s difficult to say which one, MacDonald said.
He said the Red Scorpions, UN Gang, the Independent Soldiers and the Duhre Group are still active in the community, but the players aren’t as evident due to “shifting and volatility.”
Branches of those gangs have formed, and some people are operating independently of any group as they “jockey for position,” MacDonald added.
“It’s far from decided who is running what, who’s aligning with whom.”
He said gangs are not as prevalent in the city as they were two or three years ago, now that criminals are getting the message that police have cracked down on the issue.
“If, at the end of the day, we have a good reputation with law-abiding citizens and we have a bad reputation with criminals, then we’re doing a good job,” MacDonald said.
