Four people are facing charges and more than six kgs of marijuana have been seized after Red Deer’s newest crime-fighting team executed their first raid.
Sgt. Gerald Ouellet, of the city’s new Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, called the bust mid-level for Red Deer.
In total 6.3 kgs of marijuana, 28 grams of cocaine, a small amount of cash and drug-trafficking paraphernalia were seized in the May 16 raid.
The special enforcement unit finished a month-long drug-trafficking investigation, yielding charges against four Central Albertans and seizing more than $63,000 in illegal drugs.
“We had been working with a limited staff and I’m very pleased we were able to get this done,” said Ouellet.
“This is the beginning. We know, like all Alberta communities, Red Deer is not immune to drug trafficking.
“It is a good result, it is a positive result and we know there is a lot more work to be done in Red Deer and the surrounding area.”
Less than a week after the unit opened its new offices, they made the first bust after a month-long investigation.
The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit is part of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT).
With help from the Red Deer RCMP, the unit executed search warrants at a downtown Red Deer apartment and a business in the city’s northeast.
The team has been working in Red Deer for six months, but only with a limited staff. They currently have up to 10 members of the unit, which will be increased to 15.
Ouellet said they are looking into different organized crime groups that are larger than these alleged mid-level traffickers.
“Those investigations do take a lot longer to complete,” said Ouellet.
“There is a lot more specialized investigative techniques that are used.
“A one-month investigation will be more on the uncommon side for us.
“But when we do have those opportunities we definitely don’t mind taking advantage of completing them in a timely manner.”
Ronald Allan Rue, 43, and Christina Charachuk, 49, or Red Deer face charges which include two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and one count each of trafficking marijuana and possession of property obtained by crime.
Jerod Fedorak, 29, and Christina Graham, 26, of Delburne, have been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of property obtained by crime.
All four have been released and will make their next court appearances in Red Deer provincial court on July 25.
mcrawford@www.reddeeradvocate.com