A Campbell River woman was caught with nearly $14,000 worth of drugs as well as cash and stolen items after police responded to a shoplifting complaint at the Duncan Mall in June.
North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP officers were called to a business at the mall on June 1, after staff suspected a woman of shoplifting. As the officers escorted her out of the business, alarms at the door sounded, and the woman was arrested and searched. She was found to be in possession of several stolen items, illicit street drugs with a combined value of $13,980 and $1,600 cash. She also had four outstanding warrants for her arrest.
The investigation is ongoing, but the 32-year-old Campbell River woman could be facing charges of drug trafficking and possession of stolen property.
“This is an example of the drug trade and its link to stolen property in our community,” Staff Sgt. Chris Swain said. “We really must commend the investigators for their excellent work regarding this file. It shows how something as small as a shoplifting file can lead to something much more severe in every day police work. It also shows that when the community takes part and reports suspicious or odd activities, it enables police to be active in dealing with problem locales. So really the staff at this business deserves credit for this success as well.”
READ MORE: Drug bust in Duncan leads to ‘substantial seizure’
