Cumberland County District RCMP seized substantial amounts of drugs, firearms, illegal tobacco and stolen ATVs during the searches in Birchwood and Hansford.
On July 31, Cumberland County District RCMP executed search warrants at homes in Birchwood and Hansford.
At the property in Hansford, officers located and seized more than 1,500 Methamphetamine tablets, 150 Oxycodone tablets, approximately a kilogram of crystal meth, 40 firearms, illegal tobacco and six stolen all-terrain vehicles.
At the search site in Birchwood, officers located and seized a stolen utility trailer.
Of the eight people arrested, five were later released without charges.
A 39-year-old man, wanted for being at large without excuse for parole violations, was turned over to a correctional facility.
A 31-year-old Hansford woman was later released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in Amherst Provincial Court on September 30, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.
Steven Matthew Wilson, 39, has been charged with:
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime
- Possession of a Weapon for a Dangerous Purpose
- Unauthorized Possession of a Firearm
- Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking (three counts)
- Unlawful Possession of Tobacco Products
- Possession of a Firearm Contrary to Order
Wilson appeared in Amherst Provincial Court and was remanded into custody. He will return in court on August 6, 2024, at 9:30 a.m.
A ninth person, Stephen Joseph Maloney, 33, also known as Dakota, is believed to have been at the Hansford residence prior to officer's arrival. He remains at large and wanted on a province-wide arrest warrant.
The investigation remains ongoing with the assistance of the RCMP's National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST). Additional criminal charges are anticipated.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Stephen Joseph "Dakota" Maloney is asked to contact Cumberland Country District RCMP at 902-667-3859. To remain anonymous, call Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, toll-free, at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submit a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or use the P3 Tips app.
Note: The Cumberland Street Crime Enforcement Unit includes members of the Cumberland County District RCMP and the Amherst Police Department.
File #: 2024-1054499, 2024-1012671