Police in Nanaimo found large amounts of cash and drugs on a cyclist who nearly collided with a vehicle on Halloween.
According to a Nanaimo RCMP press release, police took notice when officers spotted a cyclist with no helmet or lights riding eastbound on Fitzwilliam Street in downtown Nanaimo just after 2 a.m. Oct. 31. When the cyclist nearly collided with a vehicle, the officer attempted to pull him over using a loudhailer and emergency lights, but the cyclist allegedly refused to stop and continued weaving along streets and alleys until he hit a curb and crashed and fell off the bike. The crash initiated a short foot chase that ended on the 300 block of Terminal Avenue.
The 26-year-old suspect was arrested for obstruction, but when his belongings were searched the officers also found 170 grams of fentanyl, seven grams of methamphetamine, eight grams of cocaine, a small quantity of cannabis and $10,550 in Canadian cash.
“This was not what the officers expected when they attempted to stop the cyclist, but it certainly worked out well,” said Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. “Fentanyl is a deadly drug that has claimed hundreds of lives in communities across B.C. By removing just this amount, upwards of 1,700 lives may have been saved.”
The suspect faces a charge of possession for the purpose of trafficking. He was later released on a promise to appear in provincial court in Nanaimo in December.
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