The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) has revealed some info around a recent investigation that led to the discovery of a grenade launcher in the Downtown Eastside.
Police seized a cache of guns, drugs and dangerous weapons from a rooming house.
According to a release from the VPD, police believe that the rooming house was being used to fuel a supply line of contraband in the neighbourhood.
“Task Force Barrage has come to an end, but our work to curb violence and disrupt organized crime in the Downtown Eastside continues,” said Sergeant Steve Addison in a statement.
The investigation was conducted by officers from VPD’s Beat Enforcement Team, which works exclusively in the Downtown Eastside. The investigation was initiated on Nov. 13, after a man was seriously injured in an assault near Carrall Street and East Cordova. The 42-year-old was sent to the hospital but is recovering. That led officers to a rooming house at 50 East Cordova St.
Police discovered the stockpile of drugs and weapons on Nov. 18.
Along with the grenade launcher, police also seized four firearms, two imitation guns, a firearm silencer, seven machetes, four flare guns, bull whips, baseball bats, body armour, handcuffs and ammo.
Police also seized 486 grams of fentanyl, cannabis, Dilaudid pills and methamphetamine, “representing more than 2,500 single doses.”
Three men and one woman, who police say are aged 31 to 42, “were initially taken into custody.”
No charges have yet been laid, and the investigation is still underway.
“There are indications that parts of this building, which is meant to provide housing to low-income Downtown Eastside residents, were being used to store weapons and traffic contraband throughout the neighbourhood,” said Addison. He added that parts of the building had been fortified with countersurveillance measures to avoid detection by law enforcement.
The VPD will be providing a further update today at 2 p.m.
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