Kelowna

Kelowna RCMP have been busy cleaning downtown city streets this summer, sweeping up alleged drug dealers.

A total of 37 drug charges have been laid against 16 adults, all from Kelowna.

An undercover operation occurred over three days from July 26 to 28, and involved the exchange of crack cocaine.

Members of the Kelowna RCMP Downtown enforcement unit, West Kelowna and bike patrol assisted in gathering intelligence and affecting the arrests of the suspects.

Warrants were issued for the arrests and police are happy to report that 14 of those arrests have been made with two still outstanding.

Some have appeared on the charges, and other have been remanded in custody for future court appearances.

All suspects have related criminal records, says Sergeant Ann Morrison.

So far in 2010 there have been 58 charges made in targeted drug sweeps in Kelowna.

There were 55 charges in similar sweeps in 2009, says Morrison.

In addition to the downtown operation, the RCMP Drug Section has made several other busts in the past few days.

On August 6, members of the Drug Section stopped a car at the Capri Mall which had earlier been observed conducting drug deals around Kelowna.

As a result of this vehicle being stopped, officers were able to locate approximately 7.5 grams of heroin, .23 grams of crack/cocaine, approximately $1,000 in cash and other items used in trafficking drugs.

A Kelowna man and woman were taken into custody, and both face possible charges of possession of controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

The male appears in Provincial Court on Monday and the female appears in Court on August 23.

Morrison says both have related criminal records.

On August 5, members of the Kelowna RCMP Drug Section executed a search warrant on a residence on the 2000 block of Sunview Drive in West Kelowna.

As a result of this warrant being executed members located approximately 44 pounds of dried marijuana, approximately $1,000 in cash and other production and trafficking equipment.

No one was home at the time of the bust, but charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking will be recommended against a man and woman who are believed to be the occupants of the home.

Police confiscate large crack-cocaine rock from dealer busted during undercover operation. (Iphone video-Kelly Hayes)