ELK POINT/VERMILION - In the early morning hours of June 3, officers on patrol in Vermilion observed a vehicle fail to obey a stop sign in the Town of Vermilion.
RCMP officers conducted a traffic stop with the vehicle and initiated an investigation, which revealed the lone male occupant had an outstanding warrant and a suspended licence.
"Further investigation determined the male had provided a false name, was breaching his conditions, had numerous warrants, and there was a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine located within the vehicle," according to Vermilion RCMP.
“This went from a traffic stop for a simple stop sign infraction to a suspended driver with a warrant, to then becoming a full fledged drug trafficking investigation. The officers involved did an excellent job to not only conduct the traffic stop in the first place, but then continue to transition into subsequent investigations leading to this outcome," said Sgt. Corey Buckingham, Vermilion RCMP Detachment Commander.
"Further investigation will take place to confirm the suspected drugs and confirm the trafficking offences," he added.
As a result of the investigation, Gilbert James Hunter, 47, a resident of Elk Point, was arrested on 87 outstanding warrants, in addition to the new offences.
He was charged with:
- Possession of suspected methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking
- Possession of suspected fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking
- Obstructing a police officer
- Identity theft
- Fail to comply with a release order
- Fail to obey stop sign
Hunter was held for a judicial interim release hearing. Following the hearing, he was remanded into custody with court set for June 6 in Lloydminster.
