British Columbia's Civil Forfeiture Office has seized and sold a Downtown Eastside single-room occupancy hotel for more than $800,000 – despite the fact the building's owner was not charged with a crime.
The Vancouver Police Department, which investigated the file and referred it to the Civil Forfeiture Office, announced the seizure at a news conference Wednesday.
Sergeant Randy Fincham, a police spokesman, said four people were arrested as a result of the Project Twizzler investigation and charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking. Sgt. Fincham alleged the four men were running a drug ring out of the single-room occupancy hotel and used intimidation and violence – including head-shavings – to get area residents to sell drugs.
Sgt. Fincham said charges were not laid against the building manager or the owner, but they "ought to have known that what was going on was criminal activity." He said some suites had been "fortified" and a security system set up.
tgam.ca/2GFu6HD via @globeandmail
No comments:
Post a Comment