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Kelowna Mounties make sizeable drug bust with routine traffic stop

"During the officers interaction with the driver of the vehicle he detected signs of possible drug intoxication ..."
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Jar containing suspected GHB picked up during routine traffic stop.

A Kelowna Mountie stopped a Penticton man for a routine traffic stop, and ended up making a sizeable drug seizure and recovering stolen property.

The Kelowna RCMP officer on patrol spotted a vehicle allegedly being driven in a highly erratic manner  March 2 at 12:07 a.m., south bound on Highway 97 near McCurdy Road. The officer conducted a traffic stop with the vehicle on the highway near Leckie Road.

"During the officers interaction with the driver of the vehicle he detected signs of possible drug intoxication," said Const. Jesse O'Donaghey, in a press release.

"As a result a demand was made of the driver who subsequently failed the physical coordination tests conducted roadside. A second demand was made and the driver was taken to the Kelowna RCMP Detachment for additional testing. A Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) was called in to conduct a Drug Influence Evaluation."

During searches conducted of the vehicle roadside police located suspected illegal drugs as well as stolen property.

In total Mounties seized 1.2 kilograms of suspected GHB (Gamma Hydroxybutyrate) from the travelling duo. The suspects were also found in possession of apparent brand new un-opened electronics products which still had store security devices attached to them.

The driver, a 40-year-old Penticton man, is facing potential charges of impaired operation of a motor vehicle, possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of property obtained by crime.

His passenger, a 36-year-old woman also from Penticton, is facing potential charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of property obtained by crime. Both are expected to appear in Court on a later date.