An Abbotsford woman has been sentenced to almost six years in prison for trafficking in drugs and guns.
Constance Vince, 65, was sentenced Sept. 25 in Abbotsford provincial court after previously pleading guilty to two charges.
She had faced a total of 15 drug and gun charges, but the other 13 charges were stayed.
Charges against Vince and co-accused Khamidi Ferdinand, 43, were announced in May 2023.
At the time, the Abbotsford Police Department reported that the charges had resulted from an investigation – dubbed Project Toro – that had been launched by the drug enforcement unit.
Police said the investigation was conducted in response to a 42-year-old man who was believed to be involved in the drug trade in Abbotsford and linked to the B.C. gang conflict.
Several search warrants were executed in Abbotsford, Burnaby and Chilliwack, resulting in police seizing 16 guns; 5.5 kilograms in drugs, including fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine; and $84,000 in cash.
The province’s Civil Forfeiture Office later launched a lawsuit against two properties, two vehicles and almost $85,000 in cash that it alleged Vince and Ferdinand had obtained through the proceeds of crime.
The court documents for the case alleged that the pair had sold drugs and guns to undercover officers.
The lawsuit stated that the guns consisted of a Ruger handgun, a Glock 17 handgun, a Kahr Arms handgun, a Mauser handgun, a Smith and Wesson revolver, and a BRS-99 machine pistol.
Vince and Ferdinand initially faced six charges each, but those were expanded to 15 for Vince and 16 for Ferdinand as the investigation continued.
Ferdinand’s charges are still before the courts.
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