A man from Steinbach and a woman from Ste. Anne are both facing several charges following a drug bust near Richer last week.

This past Thursday, the Steinbach RCMP executed a search warrant at a home and vehicle located along Dawson Road under the Controlled Drug and Substances Act. At the same time, the RCMP Manitoba East District Crime Reduction Enforcement Support Team executed a similar search warrant at a residence in Winnipeg.

As a result of these two related searches, officers seized more than 729,000 contraband cigarettes, 15 grams of psilocybin (magic mushrooms), 74 grams of cocaine, 300 Percocet tablets, 220 hydromorphine tablets, and other items indicative of drug trafficking. Police also uncovered two improperly stored firearms.

The 39-year-old male from Steinbach and the 62-year-old female from the RM of Ste. Anne have been arrested and are facing charges of Possession for the Purpose of Trafficking Cocaine, Cigarette Smuggling, and firearms offences. The male is also facing charges of Failing to Comply.

“A solid investigation led to RCMP teams executing these warrants,” states Steinbach RCMP Sergeant Harold Laninga. “We have disrupted this operation and, at the end of the day, stopped these illegal items from being distributed to the public.”

Both individuals remain in custody and police say the investigation is ongoing.