The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) has seized over $7 million worth of drugs, $1 million cash, and 17 firearms following a series of search warrants that took place in Edmonton and Calgary.
The seizure came as part of a lengthy, province-wide drug trafficking investigation that was led by ALERT Edmonton’s organized crime team and involved the Edmonton Police Service, the Calgary Police Service, and the RCMP.
Over the course of the 10-month investigation homes were searched in Edmonton, Calgary, St. Albert, and Sturgeon County as recently as July.
ALERT targeted a province-wide drug trafficking network that relied on vehicles outfitted with hidden compartments to move drugs and cash primarily between Edmonton and Calgary.
ALERT seized just over 66 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated street value of $6.65 million, and seized $1,156,863 cash, which is the largest cash seizure ever recorded by ALERT in the agency’s 20-year history.
The firearms seized, which included six handguns and 11 rifles, will be submitted to the Province’s Firearms Solutions Lab for analysis and ballistics testing in order to determine if they were used in any other crimes.
Several suspects were arrested but no charges have been laid.
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