TIP DIRECTED POLICE TO RECORD COCAINE SEIZURE

Whitehorse RCMP made what's being described as the largest cocaine
seizure in the territory's history on Saturday night.

Two men are facing charges, police said today.

At around 10:20 p.m. Saturday, officers stopped a cube van headed
north on the Alaska Highway, just south of Whitehorse. There, the
driver and passenger were detained while officers executed the search warrant.

Inside the van, concealed among produce boxes and restaurant
supplies, police found about 4.95 kilograms (11.5 lbs.) of cocaine
and 41 kilograms (91.5 lbs.) of marijuana, police said in a statement.

The cocaine was divided into five bricks and eight baggies. The
marijuana was divided into 183 freezer bags which were hidden in seven boxes.

Police also found other drug paraphernalia, including two
money-counting machines which were also seized.

The RCMP estimate that if the drugs were sold in one-gram quantities,
they would amount to 4,950 street level sales of cocaine and between
5,125 and 6,833 marijuana joints that have been taken out of distribution.

Samples from the seizure are being sent to a laboratory for analysis.

"Police were able to intercept the drug shipment thanks to valuable
information received from the public," police said.

"This is a clear example of how citizens can play a key role in
helping the RCMP get criminals off the streets and ensure our
communities and neighbourhoods are safe," police stated, adding their
thanks to the community.

Cpl. Grant MacDonald told the Star this morning other details around
the case form part of the Whitehorse detachment's and "M" division's
ongoing investigation.

Each facing charges of possession of cocaine for trafficking and
possession of marijuana for trafficking are [redacted], of
Whitehorse, and [redacted], of Vancouver.

Both men have been remanded into custody and are scheduled to appear
in court in Whitehorse later this week.