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Two men and a woman face charges after a pair of drug searches in Halifax over the weekend.
On May 8 at 6:50 p.m., officers in the Drug Unit of the Integrated Criminal Investigation Division and the Central Quick Response Unit observed a drug transaction between two individuals in two separate vehicles at a parking lot in the 3400 block of Joseph Howe Drive. Two men were arrested at the scene. A quantity of marijuana was seized from one of the vehicles while quantities of cannabis resin and cash were seized from the other vehicle.
As part of the investigation, officers arrested a woman outside a residence in the 300 block of Kearney Lake Road at 7 p.m. and conducted a search of her vehicle, seizing quantities of marijuana, MDMA, cash as well as drug paraphernalia. They searched the residence at 12:50 a.m. on May 9, during which officers seized quantities of cocaine, MDMA, marijuana, marijuana resin as well as drug paraphernalia and four hand guns. At 7:15 a.m. on May 9, officers searched a residence in the 3600 block of St. Paul Street, where they seized quantities of cash and cocaine as well as three rifles.
Twenty-seven-year-old Richard Charles Lawrence and 24-year-old Tavia Patrice Connolly, both of Halifax, were charged with four counts each of possession for the purpose of trafficking and numerous firearms offences. They appeared in Halifax Provincial Court yesterday. A 26-year-old Halifax man faces a charge of possession of marijuana and is scheduled to appear in Halifax Provincial Court at a later date.
Drug activity often involves violence that puts innocent citizens at risk and is detrimental to the overall safety of our communities. The Quick Response Unit is an important part of the Halifax Regional Police crime reduction strategy, with a separate unit for each of our three divisions. The members in these units usually work in a plain clothes capacity and address crime and quality-of-life issues. Citizens are encouraged to report drug activity to police by calling 902-490-5020. Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers by calling toll-free 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure web tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca or texting a tip - Tip 202 + your message to 274637.