On November 5, 2024, the Kelowna RCMP’s Community Safety Unit (CSU) concluded a detailed operation aimed at disrupting the open-air drug market affecting a vulnerable population in Kelowna’s downtown core. This initiative was launched in response to the concerns of residents, visitors, and local businesses and focused on the illicit sale of toxic drugs in the downtown area with hopes of restoring a greater sense of safety to the area.
The project resulted in multiple arrests, the seizure of a significant quantity of drugs, potentially totaling thousands of lethal doses and approximately $27,000 worth of proceeds of crime.
“Our goal with this project was to make a meaningful impact toward safeguarding the downtown community from the harmful impacts of illicit drug activities in hopes that this effort will contribute to both a reduction in social disorder and, most importantly, the overdose incidents in the downtown area,” Sergeant Scott Powrie.
“We remain present and dedicated to proactive and collaborative efforts partnering with both the City of Kelowna Bylaws and the Kelowna Downtown Association to address issues affecting public safety and quality of life in our downtown community. Expect more enforcement to come”.
