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23-year-old faces multiple firearms trafficking charges: Kelowna RCMP

Keenan Ely has been released from custody on strict conditions, court appearance expected later
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A member of the RCMP Southeast District Emergency Response Team. (Phil McLachlan/Capital News/FILE)

A nine-month investigation by the Kelowna RCMP resulted in firearms trafficking charges laid against a 23-year-old.

In addition to multiple firearms trafficking charges, Keenan Ely is now facing charges of possessing a firearm at an unauthorized place, careless storage of a firearm, failing to report a lost or stolen firearm.

This comes after a search warrant was executed on May 20, 2020, by the Kelowna RCMP Special Enforcement Unit and the RCMP National Weapons Enforcement Support Team, at a home on Theodora Road.

RCMP suspected the property was may have been tied to firearms trafficking.

Following this, police launched an investigation into a related drug trafficking operation. This resulted in search warrants at two Kelowna residences, where a significant amount of cash and two vehicles were located and seized. No charges have been laid in regards to that investigation at this time.

Ely has been released from custody on strict conditions and is expected to appear in court at a later date.

Anyone with further information on this investigation, or any other suspected firearms traffickers, is asked to contact the Kelowna RCMP Special Enforcement Team at 250-762-3300. If you wish to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at www.crimestoppers.net or 1-800-222-8477.

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Do you have something to add to this story, or something else we should report on? Email: phil.mclachlan@kelownacapnews.com


 

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Phil McLachlan

About the Author: Phil McLachlan

Phil McLachlan is the editor at the Penticton Western News. He served as the reporter, and eventually editor of The Free Press newspaper in Fernie.
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