Two Calgarians have been charged with multiple drug and weapon offences following a traffic stop over the weekend, police say.
Officers pulled over driver Matthew Christian Bennett, 40, and a 16-year-old female passenger on the afternoon of Jan. 10 to find knives, pepper spray, a loaded shotgun, nearly $5,000 in cash and an estimated $10,000 worth of illegal drugs, according to a news release from Calgary Police Service (CPS).
Officers conducted the search during a traffic stop at the intersection of 17 Avenue and Fifth Street S.W., which police said was prompted by Bennett’s failure to provide a valid driver’s licence and there being an open liquor bottle inside the vehicle.
The charges laid against the pair include, but are not limited to, multiple counts of possessing and concealing weapons and controlled substances for the purpose of trafficking.
“In this case, we have someone putting not only a youth at risk but members of the public as well,” said CPS Insp. Jason Bobrowich. “We remain relentless in our commitment to getting drugs and weapons off the streets of downtown Calgary.”
Since their arrest, Bennett has remained in police custody while the youth has been released on bail. They are expected to appear in court on Jan. 21 and Jan. 26, respectively.
Violent crime on the rise
According to police statistics, the number of reported incidents in the first half of 2025 where a weapon was used to intimidate or harm was up 24 per cent compared to the previous five-year average. Additionally, the total number of offences committed by youth grew by 32 per cent.
Police say 2025 marked a six-year high in downtown violence, and that they will continue to crack down when possible.
“We expect all public spaces to be used for their intended purpose, and will enforce these expectations where necessary,” reads CPS’s website. “There is no place in our city for behaviours that jeopardize safety or create fear.”
Police ask anyone with information about the incident to call 403-266-1234 or send an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers at www.calgarycrimestoppers.org.