Penticton RCMP said a “small arsenal of weapons” and drugs were seized from a residence in the Uplands area.
Two revolvers, a fully loaded semi-automatic .22 calibre assault rifle, a semi-automatic nine-mm, a semi-automatic .38 calibre hand gun, a “home made style” shot gun, crossbow and numerous rounds of ammunition along with a quantity of drugs was found at a residence on Nov. 22.
“Excellent police work resulted in a very positive outcome for us. Finding so many guns was a shock for us, but very happy to have them out of the hands of criminals” said Corporal Scott Van Every of the TEU in a news release.
On Nov. 22, the Penticton South Okanagan Similkameen Regional Detachment’s Targeted Enforcement Unit (TEU) concluded a two-week long investigation into drug trafficking after executing a search warrant last week.
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According to RCMP, officers began their thorough investigation into the suspicious activity in early November, including surveillance. Using evidence gathered during this time, police were granted a search warrant for the residence under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
Inside the home police found Andrew Hardenstine, 38, and Crystal Olson, 40. Both now face drug and weapons charges. Olson appeared in court on Nov. 23, and was released on a number of conditions, while Hardenstine was held in custody with his next court appearance set for Nov. 28.
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Hardenstine has multiple prior convictions including theft, robbery and break and enter, according to a Canada-wide warrant issued in 2013, that he was eventually arrested on. At that time, RCMP said Hardenstine was released on parole after serving a three-year, eight-month sentence on two convictions for possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking and a weapons related offence and disappeared from a half-way house.
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