Cross-Canada bike trip ends abruptly in drug bust after police stop man riding on highway
The man with an outstanding arrest warrant was stopped on his bicycle near Port Mann Bridge
A B.C. man embarking on a cross-Canada bicycle trek didn't get very far before his trip ended in arrest — and his stash of weapons and drugs were seized.
RCMP officers from Port Mann Traffic Services spotted the man pedaling along Highway 1 last Tuesday near the Port Mann Bridge and stopped him for a routine ticket for riding in the travel lane.
"You're not allowed to ride on the highway," said Cpl. Mike Halskov, media relations officer with traffic services.
"It's prohibited to do so and very dangerous, as you might well imagine."
The man, a resident of the Lower Mainland, told police he was on his way out of the province on his bicycle and headed to Eastern Canada.
Crossing paths with RCMP brought an abrupt end to his plans, though.
The ambitious bicyclist, whose name is not being released, is well-known to police.
A warrant was out for his arrest for breaching some conditions of a previous unrelated investigation.
Police say they found a significant amount of drugs including crystal meth, heroin or a heroin-fentanyl mix, magic mushrooms and LSD on his person.
The man was also carrying a knife and a leather weapon for striking known as a sap.
"We're always on the lookout for more than just the next ticket," said Halskov. "In this particular case, it went from being one thing to many things and getting someone known to police off the streets."
The man is currently in custody and faces charges related to the weapons and drugs found on him, as well as the previous charges.