600kg of illegal cannabis seized in Manitoba traffic stop: RCMP

A picture shows 600kg of illicit cannabis that was confiscated during a traffic stop on Sept. 4, 2024 in the RM of Portage la Prairie. (Photo provided by Manitoba RCMP Media Relations Unit)

A man from Toronto is facing charges after Manitoba RCMP pulled him over near Portage la Prairie.

According to RCMP, officers from its Roving Traffic unit stopped a commercial vehicle last Wednesday.  The vehicle was headed east on Highway 1 near Portage la Prairie.

The traffic stop led to an inspection and RCMP said officers found approximately 600 kilograms of illegal cannabis.

“We continue to enforce the laws against illicit cannabis as it’s possession is a criminal offence and is an issue of public safety,” said Inspector Michael Gagliardi, Officer in Charge of RCMP Traffic Services. “Anyone purchasing illicit cannabis does not know where it came from or what it could be cut with. Often, illicit cannabis is associated with organized crime and all the other criminal elements that entails.”

Police did not name the 65-year-old man, who was charged under the Cannabis Act, Excise Act, and Liquor, Gaming and Cannabis Control Act.