Bomb and weapons found during Nanaimo vehicle stop

A stop of a suspicious vehicle travelling without insurance led Nanaimo RCMP to weapons and a homemade bomb.

Police were on patrol in the area of Bowen Road and Meredith Road early Saturday when they came across an older model Ford Focus and pulled it over. The weapons found included a loaded .12-gauge shotgun and a loaded homemade .12-gauge improvised firearm, also known as a “zip gun.”

Officers also found a stolen insurance decal and several hundred dollars in Canadian currency.

The RCMP Explosives Disposal Unit was called and recommended the bomb be taken to a nearby field where its members could destroy it.

Arrested were a 31-year-old Vernon man, a 23-year-old Nanaimo man and a 28-year-old Nanaimo woman.

Charges are pending and the trio has been released.

“This is an excellent example of general-duty officers in Nanaimo conducting a thorough investigation of a suspicious vehicle that went from a straightforward charge under the Motor Vehicle Act for no insurance to apprehending three persons and getting several extremely dangerous weapons off the streets,” said Const. Gary O’Brien.