AK-47 Seized in Million-Dollar Drug Bust

Calgary…A fully automatic AK-47 assault rifle was seized alongside nearly $1 million worth of illegal drugs in a recent drug trafficking takedown by Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT).    

The six-month investigation focused on several individuals who had recently relocated from Vancouver’s lower mainland, and were attempting to gain a foothold in the Calgary drug market. Three people were arrested on April 28th when ALERT’s Calgary Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, Calgary Police Service (CPS) and RCMP members executed four search warrants.

The search warrants uncovered a stash of drugs, weapons, and cash, as well as a full-scale cocaine conversion lab. The total value of the drugs seized is estimated at $969,940, which included:  

• 4.6 kilograms of cocaine with an estimated street value of $460,000; 
• 115 kilograms of Phenacetin with an estimated street value of $230,000; 
• 6.5 kilograms of marihuana with an estimated street value of $64,940; 
• 1.6 kilograms of methamphetamine with an estimated street value of $162,000; 
• 387 grams of MDMA with an estimated street value of $38,000; 
• 187 oxycodone pills with an estimated street value of $15,000;   

The Phenacetin seizure at 115 kilograms is the largest in the history of ALERT. Phenacetin, also known as “Superbuff” is a cutting agent used to dilute the purity of cocaine in order to maximize profits.

Other items seized included:  

• AK-47 fully automatic assault rifle with ammunition; 
• Loaded handgun with additional ammunition;
• Magazines and ammunition for handguns; 
• Spring-loaded pen gun; 
• $225,355 cash; 
• Hydraulic kilogram brick press with plates; 
• Money counters, drug scales, scoresheets; 
• 2007 GMC Acadia with a hidden compartment.   

Huy Nguyen, 26, Duy Dao, 24, and Jonathon Chieh, 23, are facing a combined 64 drug and weapons related charges, and additional charges are being contemplated.