A covert police operation launched to tackle crime and street disorder in Victoria’s downtown core has led to 16 arrests and multiple drug trafficking files in two days.
The initiative, known as Project 3D (short for disrupt downtown disorder) is being led by VicPD’s Strike Force unit in partnership with City of Victoria bylaw officers.
The project uses a mix of undercover operations, high-visibility patrols, and targeted surveillance to focus on areas with chronic disorder, including Pandora Avenue, Centennial Square, and Mason Street among other hot spots.
VicPD said one man was arrested for trafficking cocaine while sitting in a chair directly in front of an Island Health supervised consumption site on Pandora Avenue. Officers conducted two undercover purchases from him and observed a service provider from the site interacting with the man without apparent concern for the illegal activity.
Another man was arrested on two separate days — first for dealing cocaine on Pandora and again for trafficking fentanyl the next day on Mason Street.
In another case, undercover officers located and arrested a man believed to be a violent repeat offender with two outstanding warrants from the Lower Mainland. The man, believed to have recently relocated to Victoria, was found in the 900 block of Pandora and remains in custody pending a court appearance.
“This project is a critical, sustained effort focused on addressing what we continue to hear from the community is their number one concern: downtown street disorder,” said Chief Del Manak. “These proactive, targeted interventions are essential to disrupting the cycle of problematic behaviour and creating a safer, more welcoming downtown for everyone.”
Police say they are pursuing trafficking charges and seeking court-ordered conditions to ban suspects from key downtown areas. These orders aim to prevent further disruption and protect vulnerable people from exploitation.
VicPD’s community resource officers will be canvassing downtown businesses in the coming days to identify remaining concerns.
The department is encouraging the public to report persistent offenders or trouble spots by calling the VicPD non-emergency line at 250-995-7654 (ext. 1).
