MILLBROOK – Police seized one of the largest weapons and ammunition caches ever in Colchester County Thursday morning from a residence in Millbrook First Nations.
Around 8 a.m. the RCMP Emergency Response team entered a home at 65 Gerald Avenue executing a criminal code search warrant.
"In 18 years as a police officer in northern Nova Scotia this is the largest cache seized," said Sgt. Al Affleck. "We were surprised to find such a large cache. We knew we were going in looking for some weapons. We did not expect to find this many."
Some of the items seized include 16 long guns, three hand guns, four ballistic vests including one marked with bold lettering POLICE, dozens of gun ammunition magazines and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
"The issue that we have is when we see one with POLICE on it we will do an extensive search throughout Canada to see if we can determine if this vest may be stolen property," said the officer. "The vests themselves are not illegal but when we see that on it, it makes us wonder where did it come from and why does this person have it?"
The homeowner was not at home at the time of the raid, however, two female residents intercepted by police were not charged with any offences and were released.
Affleck said the search was a result of an extensive investigation by the Colchester Street Crime Enforcement Unit with assistance from both Colchester and Millbrook RCMP.
Two police serivice dog units, the Explosive Device Unit, the forensic identification Unit and about five police cruisers descended on the home attracting a great deal of attention from neighbours.
Police did not name the home owner but a longtime neighbour identified him as Alex (Butch) MacDonald, a former chief and current band council member of Indian Brook First Nation.
"With all the commotion I thought there was a fight or something going on over there," said one neighbour watching as police removed items from the home. "I saw them, all dressed in black with hoodies. They were armed officers with machine guns and surrounded the house."
Another neighbour said it was a quiet, close-knit community and the homeowner now being sought by police was "just like family."
Affleck said charges will be pending in relation to firearms violations under the Fire Arms Act, and arrests will be pending once the homeowner is located.
"At this time in the investigation we are still looking for the homeowner," said the officer. "We do not know his present location but the homeowner is arrestable for several weapons offences."
According to police, all the weapons seized were unsafely stored in the home and the homeowner does not have a valid license to possess weapons of any kind.
Of the 16 long guns seized Affleck said about a dozen could be used for some type hunting but there are at least two assault rifles police have serious questions about.
"From the public safety perspective it's a large supply of weapons that we are certainly pleased to get off the streets for the potential of what they could get into," said Affleck. "This is a substantial amount of weapons. At this point our investigation continues into identifying each different type of weapon and what classification it falls under in the Criminal Code."
