source: Brandon Police Service Media Release At 3:00 AM this morning officers observed a vehicle in a parking lot of Braecrest Drive that appeared to be stuck.  Members stopped to check and found the vehicle had driven off the edge of the parking lot, which is on a steep hill, causing the car to become stuck over the edge.  The 18 year old male in control of the vehicle attempting to drive it back onto the parking lot was observed to be displaying signs of impairment and was arrested for being in care and control of a vehicle while impaired. He provided two samples of his breath resulting in readings in excess of one and a half times the legal limit.  He has been released from custody and will appear in court on June 25th.

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release At approx. 7:25 PM Thursday evening, members of our Organized Crime Section apprehended a 40-year-old Winnipeg woman for possessing Meth for the purpose of trafficking.  Officers observed the accused in the 1400 block of 4th St and attempted to arrest her.  After a short foot pursuit she was apprehended and arrested on the strength of two warrants (one from Winnipeg and one from Selkirk).  At the time of the arrest she was found in possession of 18 ounces of Methamphetamine, with a street value of just over $50000.00.  The accused was held overnight and will appear in court this morning.  She is charged with possession of Meth for trafficking as well as warrant charges of possession for trafficking and breach of recognizance.

Manitoba Finance Taxation Special Investigations Unit, with assistance from the RCMP, has seized 300,000 contraband cigarettes brought into the province by a local transport company. The seizure, which happened just outside Winnipeg June 8, resulted in the arrest of two men from Winnipeg and East St. Paul, aged 36 and 54. Had these cigarettes been sold, the Manitoba government stood to lose $90,000 in tax revenue. The two men will face charges under The Tobacco Tax Act and The Tax Administration and Miscellaneous Taxes Act. For a first-time offence under the provincial tax acts, the individuals face fines between $1,000 and $10,000 and/or up to six months imprisonment if convicted. In addition, they may face a triple tax penalty of $270,000. The accused will also face charges under the Criminal Code of Canada. The province urges anyone who has information on contraband tobacco to contact their local police department, call the Manitoba Finance Special Investigations Unit at 204-945-1137, email smuggling_manitoba@rcmp-grc.gc.ca or call Manitoba Crime Stoppers (toll-free) at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). (Province of MB News Feed)

Manitoba Public Insurance filed its General Rate Application with the Public Utilities Board (PUB) today, requesting an overall rate decrease of 10.5 per cent. If approved, this will be the largest rate decrease in three decades. The average passenger vehicle owner will pay about $130 less in premiums per year. This will be the second year in a row Manitobans have received a rate decrease from its public auto insurer. “This historic rate decrease reflects the strong recent performance and financial position of our Corporation,” said Ben Graham, President and CEO, Manitoba Public Insurance. “While many private auto insurers across Canada are asking for double-digit rate increases, Manitobans are receiving the benefits of a well-executed public auto insurance model. “This decrease was made possible with our multi-pronged strategy focusing on insurance fundamentals such as fiscal prudence of managing claims and MPI expenses, changes made to our product suite, implementation of a better reinsurance strategy aimed at reducing volatility, enhanced investment management strategy and building an industry acceptable level of reserves to absorb rate shocks.” In May 2020, MPI customers benefited from a $110 million rebate: $58 million of which is directly attributed to fewer claims during this COVID period and $52 million was through prudent company management from year-end financial results. This year, MPI is modernizing its products to provide greater customer choice and protection through new coverage levels for Third Party Liability, Maximum Insured Value, and changes to the Basic Autopac deductible. Customers will have the option of reducing their premium by increasing their deductible. “Our customers will have greater choice in selecting the coverage that best suits their needs,” said Graham. “These are all things that really demonstrate the strength, adaptability and customer-centric nature of public auto insurance in Manitoba. “MPI will continue to execute its strategy aimed at maintaining stable and predictable rates which remain among the most affordable in Canada while providing exceptional coverage to Manitobans.” The PUB hearings typically begin in October, concluding later in the month. The board typically issues its order in December. The proposed rates would be effective April 1, 2021, but because renewal dates are staggered, some vehicle owners won’t pay their new rates until March 31, 2022. Requested Rate Changes by Class Major Use Applied for Rate Changes Private passenger -11.0% Commercial -4.8% Public -6.1% Motorcycles 1.8% Trailers -11.4% Off-road vehicles 0% Overall (applied for) -10.5% (Manitoba Public Insurance News Release)

Source: Brandon Police Service Media Release At 8:20 p.m. on Tuesday, police conducted a vehicle stop on the #1 Highway. The operator, a 23-year-old from rural Manitoba was found to be the subject of several arrest warrants held by the Manitoba First Nations Police Service. The backpack in possession of the male was searched incidental to arrest and was found to contain a quantity of prescription medication, crack cocaine, and methamphetamine. The male is in custody at the police service charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. He will appear before a Justice this morning.