Traffic stop sees three St. Catharines men charged after suspected drugs seized

A traffic stop in St. Catharines when Niagara Police saw a car was registered to a suspended driver led to far more for three men yesterday (Sept. 28).

Spotting the car on Queenston St. near Tasker St. at 6:40 p.m., the police ran the plate and pulled it over after discovering it belonged to a driver whose licence had been suspended.

When they asked him to get out of the car to arrest him, police spotted two containers of pills and other items inside the vehicle “indicative of trafficking narcotics.”

Both passengers were then arrested as the police searched the car. In total, officers recovered 10.2 grams of suspected cocaine, 4.2 grams of suspected fentanyl, 176 suspected hydromorphone pills, and 157 suspected oxycodone pills.

Jason Grove, 57, of St. Catharines has been charged with driving a car while under suspension and four counts of possession of illegal drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

Scott Russell, 54, of St. Catharines has been charged with four counts of possession of illegal drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

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David Venketeswaran, 52, of St. Catharines has been charged with four counts of possession of illegal drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

All three were released from custody with Venketeswaran scheduled for an Oct. 26 court date in St. Catharines while Grove and Russell are due back in court on Oct. 27.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact the lead detective by dialing 905-688-4111, dial option #3, extension #1009740.