Traffic stop near Yorkton leads to drug and weapons charges

Drivers who don’t slow down while passing emergency vehicles on Saskatchewan highways usually end up with a ticket.

For two men, failing to slow to 60 km/h has led to criminal charges.

On Tuesday morning, the RCMP said officers from Combined Traffic Services Saskatchewan saw a truck pass an emergency vehicle on Highway 16 west of Yorkton without slowing down.

The Mounties said the officers pulled over the truck, and spotted drug paraphernalia in plain view.

A search of the truck turned up: About 181 grams of suspected methamphetamine; a few hundred pills, some of which were believed to be morphine; 18 grams of psilocybin; 28 grams of unstamped cannabis; 26 grams of loose cannabis; one carton of unstamped cigarettes; an open bottle of vodka; and, a bat and a baton.

A 32-year-old man from Grand-Remous, Que., and a 49-year-old man from Edmonton were each charged with two counts of possession of a scheduled substance, and one count each of possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and possession of unstamped tobacco that is not blackstock.

They also were ticketed for various provincial offences including failing to slow to 60 km/h while passing an emergency vehicle, and having open liquor and cannabis in a vehicle.

The men are to appear in Yorkton Provincial Court on Thursday.