Hay River conducted a traffic stop on a luxury vehicle with an expired licence plate On Oct. 30, according to a news release. then discovered the vehicle had a false vehicle identification number and had actually been stolen in Ontario.
"The two occupants of the vehicle were subsequently arrested and the vehicle... was seized," according to the Nov. 1 news release.
The police obtained search warrants for the vehicle and the hotel room that the driver rented. There, officers seized more than $2,000 in cash, luxury brand watches and other goods and drug paraphernalia.
"Approximately 248 grams of an unknown powdered substance was seized from the vehicle, the analysis of which is pending," reads the news release.
One of the vehicle occupants was released without charge, according to . The other, 22-year-old Stanley Letcher, of Fort Simpson, has been charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, operating a vehicle without valid registration, operating a vehicle without a valid driverSA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s licence and failure to wear a seatbelt.
Letcher was released from police custody on an undertaking. He is to appear in court at a later date.
"This investigation remains ongoing with assistance from Toronto Police Service and Alberta SA¹ú¼ÊÓ°ÊÓ´«Ã½™s Auto Theft Unit," the Mounties added.