While high-level gang activity has slowed in the Kamloops, the city’s top cop knows that activity is still happening.

Kamloops RCMP Supt. Syd Lecky says the local force has apprehended a number of high-level criminals but says incidents of violence come in cycles.

“We have exceptional people working, who have exceptional ability in targeting some of our organized crime. Some of that’s been fairly high-profile as well. So you’ve seen and heard some of the results, we’re going to continue to drive that bus the best we can and try and stay on top of it.”

Lecky talked about some of the local seizures linked to gang activity that have happened this year, which have included taking 11 firearms off the street. “That includes high-powered SKS-type rifles, silenced pistols. And that’s obviously very concerning, because you don’t have a pistol with a silencer unless you have nefarious purposes. So it has been a concern.”

He also says Mounties have seized 1,561 grams of cocaine, 570 grams of fentanyl and 1,689 grams of methamphetamine.

Meanwhile, there have been three homicides in Kamloops this year. All three happened in a four-week period, between Jan. 23 and Feb. 15, and were all linked to the drug trade, despite one person – Rex Gill – being shot and killed in a case of mistaken identity, Lecky confirmed on Thursday.

“We certainly have put some bad people in jail, some of them are on bail and are closely monitored and we’re going to continue to do that. But things have calmed for now but we know it’s cyclical… and our goal is try to stay on top of that.”

There have been seven people arrested and charged in Kamloops this year in connection to homicides, and three people arrested and charged after an armed robbery and kidnapping, among other significant arrests.

Lecky says serious crime investigators have been working at or above capacity in Kamloops in 2019 and says those units are “tapped out.”