A traffic stop in Airdrie this past weekend led to the seizure of numerous weapons including a handgun and a machete.

Airdrie RCMP officers were working an enhanced policing shift called a 'Safe Nights' shift early Sunday morning.

Corporal Gina Slaney says the City of Airdrie funds 'Safe Roads' traffic enforcement shifts and 'Safe Nights' watch shifts where RCMP members can work overtime on their days off.

"There's two extra cars out on the roads on the weekends in the winter and then in the summer it's every evening," Slaney explains in regards to the 'Safe Nights' shifts. "They take smaller, not so serious calls, just to help alleviate the busyness of the general duty members."

In this case, the members stopped a vehicle on East Lake Crescent at approximately 12:40 a.m. Sunday morning and arrested the driver for possession of a weapon.

A subsequent search of the suspect vehicle turned up the following:

  • a loaded 9 mm Smith & Wesson hand gun which had been stolen
  • ammunition
  • a police baton
  • numerous edged weapons
  • approximately 100 prescription pills and a small amount of methamphetamine
  • numerous stolen identification and credit cards
  • break and enter tools

Slaney says it goes to show that a seemingly routine traffic stop can lead to a major bust.

"This also shows you how dangerous our job is," says Slaney. "To pull over a vehicle and the driver has a loaded Smith & Wesson handgun, like we use Smith and Wessons so we know how they work and how dangerous they can be in the wrong hands. It was a very good traffic stop. It is wonderful to take those weapons and drugs off the streets."

Brandon Taylor Lieu, 29, of Calgary was arrested and charged with 22 offences including possession of a prohibited weapon, careless use of a firearm, four counts of possession of a weapon, four counts of possession of stolen property, and possession of a controlled substance.

He has been remanded into custody and will appear in Airdrie Provincial Court on Thursday, March 12.

 

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