Loaded weapon and drugs seized as part of investigation

A map depicts the area of Veterans Memorial Parkway and Trafalgar Street where London police responded for a weapons investigation on Aug. 24, 2023. (CTV)

A loaded firearm and drugs have been seized by London police following a call for a suspicious vehicle.

The call came in around 4:45 a.m. on Aug. 24 for a vehicle stopped in the middle of the road near Veterans Memorial parkway and Trafalgar Street.

When officers arrived they found the vehicle running with the lights on and a man asleep in the driver’s seat.

After searching the vehicle, police found drugs and a loaded firearm with the investigation being reassigned to the Guns and Gangs Unit — leading to the use of a search warrant at a home in London where more drugs, including cocaine, crack cocaine, and oxycodone were seized.

A 28-year-old man has been charged with the following offences

• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle
• Operate a conveyance while concentration of alcohol in blood exceeds 80
• Resist arrest
• Drive while under suspension
• Careless storage of firearm, weapon, prohibited device
• Possess restricted or prohibited firearm knowingly not holding a license
• Occupy motor vehicle with firearm
• Possess loaded/unloaded regulated firearm
• Tampering with serial number of a firearm
• Two (2) counts of possession of schedule III substance
• Possession of a schedule I substance
• Possession of a schedule I substance for the purpose of trafficking