RAINING CASH AND DRUGS

Residents of a Sarnia apartment building were surprised to see a safe
fall from a third storey window on Friday, and even more surprised
when it broke open, spilling cash and drugs to the ground.

Police say the Sarnia vice squad along with uniform police and
members of the criminal investigation branch were executing two drug
search warrants simultaneously at the building near the intersection
of South Christina and Devine streets when suspects in one of the
apartments threw a safe from a bedroom window.

"When it hit the ground, it burst open," said Staff Sgt. Doug Warn.
"It was very windy and the money was just going everywhere. Residents
in the building came out and saw this and went, 'Wow.'"

Three residents from the building began grabbing up $20, $50 and $100
bills, as well as an assortment of baggies filled with crack cocaine
and powder cocaine.

Initially, they tried to hide the cash and drugs from police but
changed their minds.

"We were able to determine who they were and they decided it was in
their best interest to give it to us," Warn said.

The cash totalled $14,000 and the drugs estimated to be worth $8,500.

"It was a good-sized seizure for Sarnia," Warn said.

Two of the three grabbing up the contraband were not arrested.
However, the third was an occupant of one of the two apartments being searched.

He and four others face charges of drug trafficking and possession.

Charged are [name redacted], 27, [name redacted], 23, [name
redacted], 31, and [name redacted], 28, all of Sarnia.