The BC Highway Patrol arrested a 28-year-old Surrey man after seizing 73 kilograms of cocaine from a vehicle during a traffic stop in the Shuswap area on Highway 1 near Malakwa.

Cpl. Michael McLaughlin said the Oct. 8 roadblock was manned by the BC Highway Patrol (Dog Service), Sicamous RCMP and the Integrated Impaired Driving Unit.

“The driver, who was the sole occupant of the vehicle, was released on conditions and is scheduled to appear in court at a later date. The driver will not be identified until charges are approved. The investigation continues and the vehicle has been seized. ” McLaughlin said.

Insp. Lori Orstad, special traffic operations manager for the BC Highway Patrol, said “the preliminary investigation suggests this has all the hallmarks of organized crime.

“This is a very large quantity of drugs, so definitely expect to see an impact on illegal drug trafficking operations in the province,” Orstad added.