Drugs fuelling robberies for quick cash in Winnipeg: police

A man who went for a smoke Monday morning inside the entrance of a building ended up being nabbed by Winnipeg police for possessing methampetamine,stolen property and break-in tools, as well as for breaking a city smoking bylaw.

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It was one of five separate arrests made Monday that show drug users are looking for a quick way to make cash, police say.

Const. Rob Carver highlighted fourother drug-related arrests, all of which happened Monday, with reporters on Tuesday.

One of those cases involved a man reportedly attempting to steal bicycles in an area around the 100 block of Marion Street. Police arrested a 29-year-old who was found withbreak-in tools and methamphetamine.

'Day in and day out'

In another case,a 21-year-old man wasarrested and charged with 19 drug and weapons offences after officers pulledthe man over for driving erratically and without a licence plate.

During the stop,officers found drug paraphernalia and three large knives, Carver said.

Another man wasfoundwith fentanyl and a weapon after being stopped while pushing a motorcycle in the area of Logan Avenue and Keewatin Street on Monday.

The arrests are no surprise to police who say drug possession is fuelling a need for quick cash that often comes from property crime, according to Carver.

"This is the kind of thing they see day in and day out," he said.