FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. - Less than a month after being officially launched, the North District Uniform Gang Enforcement Team has already made a significant impact in Northeast B.C., helping police seize suspected illicit drugs, cash and weapons during a targeted enforcement operation in Fort St. John.
The four-day operation, conducted from October 22 to 25, involved officers from the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C.’s North District Uniform Gang Enforcement Team (UGET) working alongside the Fort St. John RCMP.
The deployment was organized in response to increased violence in the community and focused on individuals suspected of involvement in drug trafficking, weapons offences and other criminal activity.
According to police, the operation resulted in multiple arrests related to drug trafficking, weapons offences and outstanding warrants.
Officers also seized approximately 210 grams of suspected illicit drugs, including fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, along with roughly $14,000 in cash believed to be criminal proceeds.
Weapons recovered during the operation included a machete, knives, mace and an axe.
Police say the enforcement effort relied on intelligence sharing between local RCMP officers and the specialized gang enforcement team to identify priorities and target individuals considered a threat to public safety.
“The results of this deployment represent a significant effort by officers to address criminal activity that negatively impacts our community,” said Scott Watson, Acting Detachment Commander of the Fort St. John RCMP. “Removing illicit drugs, weapons and criminal proceeds from our streets helps reduce the harm associated with drug trafficking and violence.”
Sarbjit K. Sangha, Media Relations Officer for CFSEU-BC, said the operation demonstrates how coordinated policing efforts can help target criminal organizations operating in northern communities.
“By working closely with Fort St. John RCMP, sharing intelligence and coordinating our enforcement efforts, we can target criminal activity that threatens community safety,” Sangha said. “This deployment demonstrates the importance of strong policing partnerships and our shared commitment to keeping communities safe.”
The operation comes just weeks after CFSEU-BC officially launched the North District UGET, a dedicated gang enforcement unit based in Prince George that serves communities across Northern B.C., including the Peace Region.
The new team was created after repeated deployments of specialized Lower Mainland gang enforcement officers to Northern B.C.
Between 2020 and mid-2026, those teams were deployed 39 times to assist local police responding to gang activity, organized crime and violence in northern communities.
Officials said those deployments highlighted the need for a permanent northern presence.
For residents of Fort St. John, Dawson Creek and other Peace Region communities, the unit is intended to provide additional resources focused on prolific offenders, organized crime groups and gang networks that operate across municipal boundaries.
Police have said the North District UGET will now be the primary specialized unit responding when northern communities experience spikes in gang-related violence.
Authorities say the unit’s mandate includes disrupting organized crime, targeting drug trafficking and addressing violence through intelligence-led enforcement across Northern British Columbia.
The Fort St. John deployment marks the first publicly announced enforcement results since the team was launched last month.