North Bay police say they're dealing with an increase in weapons arrests

North Bay police say that weapons arrests are on the rise in the city.

This past weekend, police made two arrests where people had loaded handguns. Both arrests took place at what was supposed to be just routine traffic infraction stops.

"Police stopped the vehicle, there was open alcohol inside the vehicle and when they were searching the vehicle they found a loaded firearm," said Insp. Jeff Warner.

"The second one was a routine traffic stop for an unrelated investigation and the same thing happened. The officer noticed some drugs readily available to the driver, a search of that person lead to a loaded firearm in his waistband."

He said illegal weapons possession has been fairly common in southern Ontario for a few years, but is now being seen more and more in the north.

"It's concerning for sure, it's concerning for members of the public that may come in between some of this activity that's going on," Warner said.

"It's definitely concerning for the police officers. They do terrific work out there, when they stop vehicles for routine traffic infractions, you never know who you're encountering."

"Now we're encountering people with loaded firearms. It's definitely concerning."