A MAC-11 sub-compact machine gun can empty its 32-round magazine in less than two seconds.
Understandably, police were happy to take one of those lethal weapons off the streets along with six other firearms during drug raids earlier this month in Sylvan Lake and Red Deer.
Six people were arrested and are facing drugs and weapons charges in the operation co-ordinated with Red Deer and Sylvan Lake RCMP.
“This is a prohibited weapon in Canada and in the wrong hands it represents a major public safety concern,” said Insp. Chad Coles, of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) Red Deer organized gang and crime team.
“ALERT is relieved to get this firearms off the street and these suspects arrested,” said Coles at a news conference on Wednesday at Red Deer RCMP detachment headquarters downtown.
The loaded silencer-equipped MAC-11 along with two extended-clip magazines were seized at a Vanier Woods home earlier this month.
Alarmingly, the weapon was found in the home of a suspect, who was out on bail on charges in connection with an Edmonton homicide investigation.
Justin Kenneth Sandquist, 26, was charged in connection with the death of Aaron Cote in Edmonton in 2013.
Cote died from stab wounds he suffered in a motel parking lot near Gateway Boulevard and 45th Avenue in the early morning hours on Dec. 18, 2013.
Three residences in Sylvan Lake and the Vanier Woods home were raided by police on Oct. 12 as part of a three-month drug investigation.
A sub-compact machine gun was among seven weapons seized by RCMP in Red Deer and Sylvan Lake drug raids.
Officers seized 68 grams of cocaine, various pills, drug chemicals and other drug paraphernalia.
An arsenal of other weapons were seized including: two SKS rifles, two shotguns, a sawed-off rifle, loaded handgun, body armour and ammunition.
Police are working with the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team, which is a partnership of police forces to counter the illegal movement of firearms across the country.
The amount of drugs seized was only a small indication of the extent of the drug trafficking ring, police believe.
“We have reason to believe that this group of individuals was involved for trafficking a significantly (larger) amount of drugs,” he said.
Staff Sgt. Andrew Shepherd, detachment commander of Sylvan Lake RCMP, said the array of weapons “demonstrates the severity of the criminal activity we’re dealing with.”
Shepherd said working with ALERT allows police to tackle crime on a regional basis and to share intelligence effectively.
ALERT (Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams) was set up by the province to bring together law enforcement agencies to tackle the most serious crimes and organized crime.
pcowley@www.reddeeradvocate.com