Sarnia Police Service officials allege: A 68-year-old man is facing multiple charges after a traffic stop early Saturday in Sarnia led to the discovery of suspected drugs and improperly attached license plates.
Police say that at about 1:36 a.m. on March 1, 2026, a patrol officer was alerted to a suspicious vehicle travelling west on Maxwell Street after an Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) flagged a possible issue with the plate on a black Acura.
The officer conducted a traffic stop and determined the plates attached to the vehicle were not authorized for it. The driver was arrested.
During the arrest, police say a small baggie containing a white powder was observed on the driver’s floor mat. A further search incident to arrest led to the seizure of another bag containing pills.
The accused is charged with possession of a controlled substance — 4.5 grams of cocaine — possession of a controlled substance — 50 pills of Percocet — and failing to comply with a probation order. He also faces charges under the Highway Traffic Act for driving a motor vehicle without a permit and using unauthorized plates.
Police say the accused was released on an undertaking.
Authorities also explained that ALPR systems use vehicle-mounted cameras to scan license plates and compare them to a database of known plates linked to concerns such as stolen vehicles, wanted individuals or registration issues. When a match is detected, officers are alerted and can investigate further. Data from plates that do not generate a match is not retained and is purged within 24 hours.
