Guns and drugs were seized from a middle-class Saanich neighbourhood Tuesday afternoon and three people were taken into custody after a tip about firearms in the house and a subsequent weekslong investigation.
Three firearms - a .357 Magnum pistol, 38-calibre pistol, and a long-barrelled shotgun - and large amount of cocaine, ecstasy and marijuana were found inside the bungalow in the 1200 block of Tattersall Drive, police said.
"These are fully functioning firearms that can do a lot of damage," said Saanich police spokesman Sgt. Dean Jantzen.
During the search, which was conducted under a firearms-related warrant, a small grow-operation with an estimated 30 to 40 plants was found in the basement.
A 30-year-old male resident of the house, who was arrested downtown Tuesday afternoon, is the focus of the investigation.
He is likely facing several weapon-related offences, Jantzen said.
The resident has had dealings with police agencies in the past, although the house is not familiar to police, he said.
A male and female who were in the house at the time of the search are in custody but not currently facing any charges, Jantzen said.
"We have to determine what's inside the residence before we can determine whether they will face charges or not," Jantzen said. "The search is not finalized as yet. We don't know what the final outcome will be."
Police detectives remained on the scene for several hours Tuesday night, searching the residence and cataloguing evidence.
Police will trace the firearms to determine whether they were prohibited or restricted, or stored lawfully, Jantzen said.
Saanich's street crimes, patrol and traffic units were involved in the investigation.
