During a morning traffic stop, on Feb. 16 at approximately 9:55 am, officers with the RCMP Roving Traffic unit conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle located on Highway 16, in the Municipality of Harrison Park.
Officers approached the vehicle, with three occupants inside, and spoke with the 37-year-old male driver, from Redwater, Alta., who provided his identification.
In speaking with the three occupants, the officers noted a zip lock sandwich bag containing a quantity of dried cannabis in plain view.
The three occupants were placed under arrest and requested to exit their vehicle.
As the officer’s were attempting to secure the suspects, the rear passenger, a 31-year-old male from Winnipeg, fled the scene on foot heading towards the community of Newdale.
The driver and 29-year-old female passenger, from Edmonton, were secured in a police vehicle.
RCMP officers from Shoal Lake, Neepawa, Police Dog Services and additional Roving Traffic unit officers were contacted and advised of the fleeing suspect and responded to the area where containment was provided.
The suspect was contained to an outbuilding located on a rural property and, with the assistance of Police Service Dog Jolt, was arrested without incident.
A search of the vehicle and suspects led to the seizure of approximately one kilogram of a drug suspected of being cocaine and over 500 grams of a substance believed to be a cutting agent. Officers also seized several knives, cans of bear spray and other drug related paraphernalia.
31-year-old Andres Gonzalez, who was found to have several outstanding Warrants of Arrest, was remanded into custody on charges including possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of weapon for dangerous purpose x2, breaking and entering, escaping lawful custody, resisting arrest and failure to comply with release order conditions.
The other two vehicle occupants were released for a future court date.
The Manitoba RCMP Traffic Services Roving Traffic unit continues to investigate.
