On September 16, 2019, at approximately 5 p.m., Alberta RCMP stopped a vehicle for traffic offences on Highway 1 within the Banff National Park. The investigator formed grounds to believe that the two vehicle occupants were in possession of drugs.
The subjects then fled the traffic stop eastbound on Highway 1, continued to flee south on Highway 40 into the Kananaskis area before returning westbound towards Canmore. Members from Banff, Canmore, Kananaskis RCMP were involved in attempting to stop the vehicle using a spike belt. Calgary Police Service Helicopter Air Watch for Community Safety (HAWCS) and RCMP Police Dog Services also responded to assist. Police were successful in deploying a spike belt west of Dead Man's Flats. The male suspect then drove the disabled vehicle into oncoming traffic, where he attempted to steal another vehicle by force. Moments later, the suspect was apprehended by RCMP Police Dog Services. The female passenger in the suspect vehicle was arrested without further incident.
During the subsequent search of the vehicle, police seized approximately 50 tablets of suspected fentanyl, 30 g of methamphetamine, 5 g of cocaine along with a loaded, prohibited handgun.
A 23-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman both from Chilliwack, British Columbia, face 20 charges including possession of a prohibited firearm, possession of methamphetamine, fentanyl and cocaine for the purposes of trafficking as well as robbery of a motor vehicle with violence.
The male appeared in Canmore provincial court today and was remanded into custody. He is set to appear again October 9, 2019.
The female was released from police custody and is set to appear in Canmore provincial court on October 16, 2019.
The RCMP will continue to work very closely with our law enforcement and safety partners to keep traveling criminals and illegal activities off Alberta roads and to further reduce crime in Alberta.