JASKARAN Johal, 19, who police say has “an extensive history of trafficking and drug offences,” has been charged after he was caught in possession of a prohibited substance after breaching his conditions and allegedly attempting to flee from police.

On the morning of March 21, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. (CFSEU-BC) Uniform Gang Enforcement Team (UGET) conducted a routine traffic stop in Burnaby.  The vehicle’s registered owner had an active class 7 driver’s license but no visible “N”; also, the vehicle was associated to trafficking and suspicious occurrences.

Officers followed the suspect vehicle a short distance in order to find a safe place to conduct a traffic stop. When officers exited the vehicle, the driver accelerated away at a high rate of speed.  Officers found the vehicle parked at a dead end street.

The officers immediately arrested the driver for alleged flight and dangerous operation. Officers also detected an extremely strong smell of marijuana emanating from the vehicle, and a search of the vehicle turned up a baggie of marijuana in the glove compartment, three cell phones, and a marijuana grinder. A search of the area also resulted in officers finding a baggie marijuana, and what was suspected to be cocaine, believed to be tossed from the vehicle, the CFSEU-BC said.

Johal has now been charged with one count of “operating a motor vehicle pursued by a peace officer operating a motor vehicle, did fail, without reasonable excuse and in order to evade the peace officer.”  He is also charged with one count of operating a motor vehicle in a manner that was dangerous to the public, and with one count of possession of a controlled substance, crack-cocaine, for the purpose of trafficking.