BC RCMP say the BC Civil Forfeiture Office has successfully concluded proceedings against a Courtney residence after a Comox Valley RCMP investigation into drug trafficking offences.

The investigation goes back to a January 2016 raid by Comox Valley RCMP at a residential property located on the 1500-block of Trumpeter Crescent in Courtenay, a neighbourhood with large suburban homes. During the search, police seized items consistent with the production and trafficking of cannabis, including 144 pounds of cannabis, $25,000 cash, cell phones, and cannabis growing equipment.

In May 2016, the Comox Valley RCMP referred their file to the BC Civil Forfeiture Office for consideration of the forfeiture of the property, which was believed to be the proceeds and/or instruments of unlawful activity.

Recently, the civil forfeiture proceedings were successfully concluded, resulting in the forfeiture of $230,000 of the net equity in the property, forfeiture of the $25,000 cash that was seized during the search, and a 5-year prohibition order requiring the property not be used for further unlawful activity. In the event the property is used again for further unlawful activity within the 5-year prohibition, the resulting consequence could be forfeiture of the entire property.

“The money forfeited goes back into our communities to combat crime and increase public safety,” said Inspector Mike Kurvers, Officer in Charge, Comox Valley RCMP. This year, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General has recently announced that 34 projects related to crime prevention are receiving $2.2 million in funding.

For more information on the recent grants announced by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, click here. BC’s civil forfeiture program was created in 2006 and has come under criticism from civil liberties groups.

In October 2020, the BC Civil Forfeiture Office is accusing a Crescent Beach resident of using his $2 million home to launder money from a cannabis business with connections to the websites bcbudexpress.com, vancityweedexpress.ca, canadabcbud.ca, buyweedexpress.com and vancityweedexpress.com.

In a lawsuit filed in March of this year, the forfeiture office sought to seize two homes in Maple Ridge they say was purchased with money from running an illegal pot delivery service, called 24K, for more than two years.