Police pulled drugs and stolen goods from an Esquimalt apartment after neighbours called to report concerns about the address.
On Wednesday (June 22) at 8 p.m., Greater Victoria emergency response team members attended the unit in the 700-block of Lampson St. with a search warrant. There, three people were arrested: a 28-year-old Esquimalt man and two Victoria men, age 35 and 25. They were all later released on promises to appear in court Aug. 8.
Two more, who are being called the "primary targets" by police, were arrested at a traffic stop along Spencer Road in Langford. The Esquimalt man, 45, and Victoria woman, 25, were both later released from custody on a promise to appear at an Aug. 8 court date. The woman is well known to police.
Inside the Lampson Street residence, officers found GHB and crystal meth. There were also bikes, home electrionics and stolen ID cards. Police will be cross-referencing the items with property reported stolen. They suspect the five people arrested of dealing drugs alongside the theft operation.
Const. Mike Russell said the bust is largely attributed to some serious investigation on the part of neighbours.
"A lot of intel was taken by the community and given to us. Hands down that helps us more than anyone really knows," he said. "Everyone in a neighbourhood knows what's going on better than we do. The ultimate inoculation against a drug house is getting to know your neighbours."
Victoria police hope to have charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession for the purpose of trafficking, drug trafficking, and possession of stolen property approved against the five suspects.
ecardone@vicnews.com