Police seized weapons, including what is believed to be a 3-D-printed handgun and $1 million in drugs after busting an Edmonton-based drug ring that also supplied dealers in Red Deer and Grande Prairie.
Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) searched three Edmonton homes earlier this month and vehicles were pulled over in Whitecourt and Red Deer as part of a drug investigation that spread across northern Alberta.
“ALERT’s investigation revealed the Edmonton-based group was aggressive in supplying smaller cells in Grande Prairie and Red Deer,” said Edmonton ALERT Insp. Kevin Berge.
“By leveraging our criminal intelligence, and coordinating ALERT’s resources, we were able to undermine their operations by intercepting significant shipments of harmful drugs.”
Police seized three handguns, 645 rounds of ammunition and $16,255 in cash along with a large amount of drugs including: 8,578 grams of methamphetamine, 1,317 grams of fentanyl, 2,850 millilitres of GHB; three grams of cocaine, 57 opioid pills, 17,260 grams of buffing agents, and 929 grams of unknown powders.
ALERT said one of the firearms is believed to have been created using 3-D printing technology and was equipped with a suppression device. The firearms are undergoing further analysis and ballistics testing.
Five people were arrested but no charges have been laid yet.
Members of the public who suspect drug or gang activity in their community can call local police, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).