Police officers patrolling the north end of Etobicoke last weekend made three arrests and seized two Glock handguns and drugs after three people ditched the SUV they were in and ran away.
Toronto Police said officers were patrolling near Islington Ave. and Hwy. 401 on Feb. 22 when they encountered a black SUV parked at the end of a dead-end street that drove away as they approached.
According to police, the vehicle turned onto another dead-end street where a person advised the officers that three people fled from the vehicle into a wooded area.
Cops noticed a strong cannabis odour coming from the abandoned vehicle and believed that the driver might have be impaired. They called a K9 unit handler and general purpose dog to track down the occupants.
While the canine team did its work, the officers found two handguns on the ground nearby. Two men were soon found by the canine officer and arrested.
Police allege one of the men had bullets in his pocket.
During the search for the suspects, officers also noticed another vehicle idling in the area. While investigating the vehicle, cops allege that drugs were visible on the backseat and arrested the driver. Police said the driver lived with another one of the men arrested.
A search warrant of an Etobicoke residence yielded more drugs including cocaine, crystal meth and fentanyl, cops said.
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The three accused, who were not named, are facing 36 charges, including firearm and drug possession and failing to comply.
“This was an incredibly great piece of police work where officers were aware of their surroundings and what was going on, officers engaged in what to be a suspicious action going on,” 23 Division Supt. Ron Taverner said in a statement.
Police Chief Myron Demkiw also heaped praise on the alert cops in a message on social media.
“Great police work by officers from @TPS23Div Major Crime Unit, @TPSK9 and the Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force in this investigation to take firearms and drugs off our streets,” Demkiw wrote on X. “Well done.”