Nanaimo mounties take down drug, cash carrying man who attempted to flee on a bike

NANAIMO — Local RCMP finally got their man after a prolonged and challenging overnight pursuit through downtown Nanaimo, taking a considerable amount cash and drugs off the streets.

Officers patrolling around 2 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31 saw a man racing along Fitzwilliam St. on a bicycle with no helmet or light. The man nearly collided with a vehicle which prompted a chase.

Cst. Gary O’Brien said in a release, officers used a loud speaker and emergency lights but it wasn’t until the man crashed his bike on a curb the officers could arrest him and confiscate over $10,000 in cash along with quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine.

“This was not what the officers expected when they attempted to stop the cyclist but it certainly worked out well. Fentanyl is a deadly drug that has claimed hundreds of lives in communities across BC. By removing just this amount, upwards of 1700 lives may have been saved.”