Home 99.1 News Chatham Women Facing Gun, Drug Charges After 401 Stop

Chatham Women Facing Gun, Drug Charges After 401 Stop

Photo courtesy of West Region OPP.

Three people, including two women from Chatham, are facing drug and weapon charges following a traffic stop on Highway 401 in Thames Centre.

The Ontario Provincial Police said officers on general patrol were alerted by their Automated Licence Plate Recognition system of a potentially suspended driver at around 9 p.m. on Friday.

After pulling the vehicle over in the eastbound lanes of the highway, officers arrested the suspended driver. Following a search of the vehicle, officers also located a loaded handgun, around 130 grams of suspected fentanyl and a large quantity of suspected cannabis.

As a result, two passengers in the vehicle were also arrested.

A 29-year-old Chatham woman, a 25-year-old Chatham woman, and a 19-year-old man from Oshawa are all facing several charges including unauthorized possession of a prohibited/restricted firearm, unauthorized possession of a weapon, possession of a Schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of more than 30g of dried cannabis in a public place.

The 29-year-old is also facing multiple charges for driving while under suspension, failing to surrender a licence and driving with liquor readily available.

All three of the accused were held in custody for a bail hearing.