A 45-year-old Saskatoon man has been charged with drug trafficking offenses after an incident along Highway 16 southeast of Saskatoon on Thursday, August 14.

RCMP attempted to stop a vehicle on Highway 16 west of Elstow around 7:50am. The vehicle was travelling at a high rate of speed and did not stop. Officers spotted a backpack thrown out of the vehicle window, which was later recovered.

The vehicle was found shortly after in a parking lot near Allan.

Following a search, two men and a woman were arrested. An RCMP news release says 20 grams of carfentanyl, 15 tabs of a suspected synthetic opiod, a small amount of methamphetamine, additional unknown pills and drug paraphernalia were found inside the backpack. Health Canada is testing the unknown substance.

Shaymus Mergel of Saskatchewan appeared in court last Friday.  Mergel is charged with one count of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, one count of flight from police, and four counts of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking. The other two people were later released without being charged.