Three people have been charged with numerous offences following a traffic stop on Highway 3 early Tuesday morning which netted drugs, a loaded handgun and $30,000 in cash.

According to a release from on Wednesday morning, officers from Behchoko pulled over a vehicle outside of Edzo just after midnight. After finding some illegal cigarettes, the occupants were placed under arrest and a subsequent search of the vehicle turned up the handgun, narcotics and the cash.

John Antoine, 35, and Jessica Sabourin, 26, both of Hay River, and a 16-year-old youth from Toronto have all been charged with possession of a schedule one substance for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime, possession of a restricted firearm (loaded), possession of a restricted firearm in a vehicle, unauthorized possession of a prohibited device, unauthorized possession of a restricted firearm, possession of a restricted firearm without a licence, and possession of weapon and prohibited device (handgun and magazine).

Sabourin and Antoine appeared before a Justice of the Peace and were subsequently remanded into custody to appear today, while the youth, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was released from custody and ordered to leave the territory immediately.

Antoine was also involved in a past instance with narcotics when he was charged in Hay River back in March during the execution of a search warrant in the town.

If you have any information that could help police in this recent case, you're asked to contact Behchoko at 867-392-1111 or submit a tip online anonymously to Crime Stoppers at p3tips.com. In the event of an emergency, call 911.