Sarnia police say a firearm and drugs were seized in what's being called a 'high-risk' traffic stop on Wednesday.
Officers with the Emergency Response Team (ERT) and the Major Case Action Team pulled over a vehicle in the area of Walnut Avenue South and Kathleen Avenue just before 1:40 p.m.
Police allege the driver tried to flee, striking a parked car and damaging a police cruiser.
Officers eventually stopped the vehicle, and the driver and passenger were arrested.
The driver was identified as Justin Sattaur, 28 of Toronto, who was on federal parole for firearms possession and drug trafficking.
The passenger, a youth, allegedly had a substantial quantity of cocaine, oxycodone pills, and drug trafficking paraphernalia.
Police said a search of the vehicle resulted in the seizure of a loaded .40 caliber handgun with 10 rounds of hollow-point ammunition, 47.4 grams of cocaine, 6.5 oxycodone pills and $1,540 in cash.
The street value of the controlled substances seized was about $5,640.
Sattaur faces charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, possession of a controlled substance, several firearms-related offences, prohibited driving, and dangerous operation of a motor vehicle.
The youth was charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, possession of a controlled substance, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a prohibited device, possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition, unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle, and carrying a concealed weapon.
Sarnia Police Chief Derek Davis commented on Wednesday's arrests.
"This arrest again highlights that criminal activity is not constrained by municipal boundaries," said Davis. "It also demonstrates the real dangers our officers (and the public) face with illegal firearms in our community. We respond to these elevated risks by providing our officers with modern equipment, enhanced training, and the deployment of specialized teams such as the SPS Emergency Response Unit (ERT). This safely executed arrest was the 35th deployment of SPS ERT since January of this year."
Both suspects are being held pending a bail hearing.