Victoria police say they seized an estimated $48,000 in stolen goods and illicit drugs from a storage locker in Sooke that was repeatedly visited by a suspected drug trafficker.
Police said they obtained a search warrant after a man who had previously been arrested as part of a drug-trafficking investigation made several visits to the locker.
Police seized 10 vacuums, five KitchenAid mixers, various tools, clothing and accessories believed to be stolen, as well as 554 grams of cocaine, 136 grams of methamphetamine, and about 4,000 suspected oxycodone pills while executing the search warrant.
The suspect was arrested on March 14 as part of a proactive investigation by VicPD’s strike force unit, police said in a statement Friday.
Police said the suspect is known to police and was previously arrested in December with more than three kilograms of illicit substances, including methamphetamine, cocaine and fentanyl.
Police Chief Del Manak said the arrest sends a strong signal that police are focused on combating retail theft and illegal drug trafficking.
“We know these crimes have an impact on our collective sense of security, and we will continue to dedicate resources towards proactive projects and investigations to combat it,” he said in a statement.
The seizure follows another large drug bust in the capital region.
Simultaneous police raids on a Langford motorcycle clubhouse and a dozen other properties and vehicles in the region on Jan. 31 resulted in the seizure of 450 grams of fentanyl, 150 grams of methamphetamine, 200 grams of psilocybin, hundreds of various pills, and smaller amounts of powdered and crack cocaine.
The suspect in the Sooke locker drug bust has been released pending further investigation.
