THE PROVINCIAL government has been the recipient of $40,980 in suspected drug money arising from two incidents in Terrace.
On July 8, 2011, a company with offices in Terrace and Kamloops reported that a suspicious package had been intercepted at their Kamloops office through their internal mail from Terrace, a press release from the Terrace RCMP stated today.
Police say the package was opened and contained what they termed to be $30,090 in suspected drug money. The company turned the money over to the Kamloops RCMP.
"An individual known to police to have drug histories and gang affiliations came to the company in Kamloops to inquire about the package. They didn’t pursue it any further after learning the police had seized the money," the release continued.
"Terrace RCMP spoke with the 31 year old man who had sent the money from Terrace. He was uncooperative with police in providing a statement as to his ownership of the money," said the release.
The provincial government's Civil Forfeiture Office was called in and the money was forfeited on April 24, 2012.
In the second incident, RCMP officers stopped a blue 2009 Ford Focus on Dec. 21, 2011.
The police release said they had earlier been stopped on the road with emergency lights activated on another matter and the same vehicle had driven by at an unreasonable rate of speed.
Officers said someone in the vehicle yelled "get off the road you bums!!"
A subsequent investigation led to the officers seizing $10,890.
"The 30 year old man is known to police to be involved in the drug trade," said the police release.
In case, the provincial Civil Forfeiture Office acted and the money was forfeit on May 1, 2012.
“Civil forfeiture continues to work to counter the profit motive that drives much of the drug-related crime and unlawful activity in B.C.,” said Shirley Bond, Justice Minister and Attorney General, in a statement.