Victoria police say they shut down a one-woman drug supply operation housed in an Esquimalt apartment Thursday morning.
Const. Mike Russell said the woman is suspected of stocking dealers who sell in downtown Victoria, such as the 900-block of Pandora Ave. and Douglas and Yates streets.
“She was supplying a lot of people we know downtown,” he said. “This is definitely going to put a wrinkle in that.”
After a week-long investigation, police identified two suites in one apartment building in the 800-block of Craigflower Rd. At 10:30 a.m., Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team officers went to the apartment armed with two search warrants. There, they arrested a 47-year-old woman and seized evidence from the suites. There are no other suspects in the case.
“This investigation was a significant success for our community and the arrest of this woman will disrupt the flow of drugs into our downtown,” Sgt. Rob Sorenson, who is in charge of VicPD’s Street Crime Unit, said in a release. “We are continually thankful for the calls that come from the community as they help in our investigations and may be that crucial link needed to shut down this type of activity.”
Russell added those calls made a significant difference in the investigation. He said calls about drug use or dealing in a neighbourhood can provide officers with a link to an associate, which can in turn lead them to major drug busts in some cases.
“Even the simple calls, the simple details, really help us out and it helps to have that (information) funnelled through Block Watch or our communications centre.”
Police haven’t released the type of drugs or the charges they’ll recommend against the suspect. Officers interviewed the suspect later Thursday and more information was expected to be released Friday.
To contact VicPD’s Block Watch co-ordinator, Bev Stewart, to set up a program in your neighbourhood, please call 250-995-7409.