Photo: Ryan Stelting.

Stock image of the Lower Mainland RCMP District Emergency Response team (ERT).

Mounties are asking commuters to avoid Coquitlam's industrial neighbourhood as officers investigate a series of alleged "swatting" calls.

RCMP spokesperson Const. John Graham said drivers and pedestrians should avoid the 1500-block of Hartley Avenue — one block west of the Hard Rock Casino Vancouver — as officers are on scene following leads.

He explained the detachment recently received, what are believed to be, several "unfounded 911 swatting calls" from the area.

Swatting is a hoax intended to get SWAT or emergency response teams (ERTs) to respond to an incident, which is a punishable criminal offence.

Graham noted police treat each emergency call as a serious incident, but swat calls are a "drain on valuable police services."

It's not yet known if anyone has been hurt or if any suspects are in custody, as of this publication (June 8).

Anyone with more information on the offences is urged to call Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550 and quote file-number 2023-14900.