The B.C. government is seeking to seize money involved in an alleged human trafficking case in Whalley.
The notice of claim was filed in the B.C. Supreme Court in Victoria on Aug. 26 against the owners of the Canadian cash, in particular Gabriel Angel Osorio-Interiano.
On March 20, 2025, Surrey Police responded to a call from an individual who had allegedly been kidnapped from Alberta, given cocaine and locked inside an apartment and was told "to attend a date with a client," according to court documents.
The client paid the victim at the end of the date, and Osorio-Interiano and his associates took a portion of the money, notes the claim.
When responding to the call, a blue bag containing 756 g of cocaine was thrown from the balcony of the apartment.
Osorio-Interiano and his associates were arrested for kidnapping. Surrey Police media relations officer Sgt. Tige Pollock said the investigation is ongoing and, as of Sept. 2, no charges have been laid. Osorio-Interiano was later released with conditions.
The following day, March 21, Surrey police executed a search warrant and found $2,125 in Osorio-Interiano's wallet and $3,500 in his bedroom drawer. They also discovered his tenancy agreement for the apartment, a fraudulent ID for Osorio-Interiano, and drug paraphernalia, which included a digital scale with drug residue and drug packaging. They also found items belonging to the victim, such as a journal documenting dates, payments and rates for escort services, the claim notes.
Some of the money that was seized had a residue of a controlled substance on it.
The claim alleges that the $5,625 is the "proceeds and an instrument of unlawful activity."
"The money has been used by G. Osorio-Interiano to engage in unlawful activities which variously resulted in, or were likely to result in, the acquisition of property or an interest in property, or caused, or could have resulted in serious bodily harm," reads the claim.
The unlawful activities that the government is aware of are: possessing a controlled substance for "the purposes of trafficking, human trafficking, forcible confinement, receiving material benefit from sexual services, possession of the proceeds of crime, laundering the proceeds of crime and failure to declare taxable income."
The claim notes that if the money is given back, Osorio-Interiano will "likely" use it for unlawful activity. Under 6(2) of the, it wants the money, and its proceeds, including any interest, to be forfeited to the government.
Osorio-Interiano must respond within 21 days if they were served the claim within Canada.
