CALGARY -- Cochrane RCMP say charges have been laid against a man and a woman in connection with an attempted traffic stop that resulted in a significant drug seizure.

Officers with the detachment's crime reduction unit were patrolling the Stoney Nakoda community on May 7 when they discovered a vehicle that had a licence plate that did not match.

Police did not attempt to stop the vehicle, but it soon began to drive suspiciously and then at a high rate of speed.

The RCMP officers activated their lights in an attempt to force the vehicle to stop, but the driver fled the area. A short time later, officers found it behind the Stoney Tribal administration building.

The male driver was seen fleeing on foot and only stopped to comply with the police's demands after running approximately 100 metres.

A second suspect, a woman, also attempted to evade arrest but was captured as well.

A search of the man found quantities of a substance believed to be heroin, packaged for sale. Police also located a large sum of cash, along with approximately 10 grams of suspected methamphetamine and three grams of suspected heroin near where the arrest was made.

Police also conducted a search of the vehicle, where they found four knives, a BB gun, a homemade .22-calibre firearm and a .22-calibre bullet.

Sylvester Harvey Beaver and Laurisa Florence Rabbit, both of the Stoney Nakoda First Nation, are charged with the following:

  • Possession for the purpose of trafficking – methamphetamine
  • Unsafe storage of firearms
  • Possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose
  • Possession of a firearm/weapon/device/ammunition in a motor vehicle
  • Possession of a restricted firearm/prohibited weapon with ammo without licence/registration
  • Unauthorized possession of a firearm/prohibited weapon or restricted weapon

Beaver was also charged with three counts of failing to comply with a release order.

Beaver was remanded into custody until his first court appearance on May 11 in Cochrane provincial court.

Rabbit was released on a promise to appear in court on the same day at the same location.