A traffic stop on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside Tuesday night turned into something a little more explosive.
The incident began near Columbia and East Pender streets when officers initiated a traffic stop.
Officers saw what they believed was fentanyl in plain view inside the vehicle. A search yielded the discovery of a suspected improvised explosive device.
Specialists with the VPD’s Emergency Response Section were called and worked to safely dispose the improvised explosive device.
“This was excellent work by our frontline patrol officers to identify a dangerous situation and safely secure the area,” said Sergeant Aaron Roed, VPD in a media release. “Their actions, along with the response from our highly-trained Emergency Response Section members, ensured no one was injured and the device was destroyed.”
Among the tools deployed in the explosion was "a specialized robot to properly disable and dispose of the device," according to the VPD.
The incident lasted for several hours, and no one was hurt.
A 25-year-old Surrey resident was arrested for unauthorized possession of an explosive device and transported to the Vancouver Jail. He has been released with no charges at this time. However, the investigation is ongoing.
The VPD provided video of the detonation of the suspected explosive:
