Three men from Amherst, Nova Scotia, face several charges after a traffic stop in Springhill on March 4, 2026, led to the discovery of illegal drugs and a missing police badge. Officers with RCMP Northwest Traffic Services stopped a truck on Lisgar Street because the vehicle had the wrong licence plates from a different province.
During the search, police found crystal methamphetamine and tobacco that did not have the proper tax stamps. They also discovered a wallet containing an official badge and identification that had previously been reported missing in New Brunswick. The police stated that they do not believe the identification was used to trick people by pretending to be an officer.
Cody Cottenden, 35, Vincent Mallory, 40, and Samuel Moase, 29, are all from Amherst and are now facing multiple charges. These include possessing drugs with the intent to sell them and having stolen property. They also face charges for having police items while not being officers.
These specific charges fall under the Police Identity Management Act. This provincial law was created to make it illegal for anyone who is not a police officer to have or use police uniforms, badges, or other official gear.
Cottenden and Moase were held in custody, while Mallory was released with specific conditions. The Cumberland County Integrated Street Crime Enforcement Unit is still investigating the case. This unit includes officers from the local RCMP and the Amherst Police Department.
