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Two people have been charged and drugs and a shotgun were among items seized from multiple homes in an Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) investigation.
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ALERT Edmonton began their investigation in November 2021 in relation to a Grande Prairie-based drug trafficking network from a previous RCMP investigation.
Earlier this year, ALERT executed a search warrant at two homes in Edmonton and one in Wainwright, Alta. where one shotgun, 10 handgun converter switches, 1,011 grams of methamphetamine, 3,882 grams of cocaine, 14,730 grams of a cocaine buffing agent, 2,022 grams of cannabis, 51 grams of fentanyl, 28 cases of contraband tobacco products, three vehicles and more than $55,000 in cash were seized.
The seized drugs have an estimated street value of more than $500,000. Police noted the converter switches are a prohibited device used to transform Glock handguns into prohibited firearms.
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“ALERT is always looking to expand the scope of investigations and move up the food chain. We rely on criminal intelligence from our partner agencies to collaboratively dismantle these types of multi-jurisdictional drug networks,” said acting inspector Blayne Eliuk with ALERT Edmonton in a news release.
The vehicles and cash were seized as offence-related property and will be considered for civil forfeiture. One of the vehicles was a 2021 Cadillac Escalade, worth an estimated $130,000.
On June 6, two men were charged in relation to the investigation.
John McKee, a 39-year-old man from Edmonton, has been charged with drug trafficking, possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime, and possession of a prohibited device.
Nathan Newman, a 28-year-old man from Wainright, has been charged with drug trafficking, possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime, possession of a prohibited device, careless use of a firearm, and tobacco distribution.