NANAIMO — A suspicious package forced the Nanaimo RCMP out of their offices overnight.
Cst. Gary O’Brien said the downtown Nanaimo detachment was evacuated for roughly 10 hours starting around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, June 5.
He told NanaimoNewsNOW investigators found a package they believed to be drugs at another location, so they brought it back to the detachment.
“They did further analysis of it and it caused concern to the members. They consulted with our explosives disposal unit who said based on their initial observation it would be prudent if they left the building, evacuated and removed everybody.”
O’Brien would not say where the suspicious package was found.
He said all of the prisoners in the jail were moved to another jurisdiction and their members continued to work out of the community policing office in Oliver Woods Community Centre. O’Brien stressed police services, non-emergency and 911 call lines were not impacted during the evacuation.
“The explosives disposal unit came over (from Vancouver) Wednesday morning. They have successfully destroyed the package, they’re satisfied it was basically inert. The investigation is continuing into the discovery of that package.” NanaimoNewsNow