ON February 1, at approximately 4:30 p.m., a member of New Westminster Police’s Gang Suppression Unit pulled over a vehicle that was speeding across the Queensborough Bridge. The officer initiated a traffic stop and spoke to the driver. The driver was arrested and search of the vehicle resulted in dozens of vacuum-sealed bags of illicit cannabis, with a total weight of 52 kilograms.

“The Gang Suppression Unit routinely intercepts people with large amounts of drugs or dangerous weapons,” said Constable Gallagher, who made the traffic stop.

“Though marijuana has been legal in Canada since 2018, it is illegal to sell marijuana outside the measures outlined in the Cannabis Act,” said Sgt. Andrew Leaver. “Penalties for offences under the Cannabis Act range from warnings and tickets for minor offences, to criminal prosecution and imprisonment for more serious offences.”

More information on cannabis laws and regulations can be found on the Government of Canada website.