ALERT concludes dial-a-dope investigation in Lethbridge

ALERT concludes dial-a-dope investigation in Lethbridge

February 7, 2013

 

Lethbridge…ALERT’s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU-Lethbridge) has now wrapped up a four-month investigation into a dial-a-dope group operating in the Lethbridge area that netted police 340 grams of cocaine and six arrests.

 

CFSEU-Lethbridge is an integrated team of Lethbridge Regional Police Service (LRPS) members and RCMP who work together to address organized crime in the community.

“These operations are an important part of our goal to disrupt organized crime in this corner of the province,” commented CFSEU-Lethbridge Staff Sergeant Wes Houston. “With each trafficker we take off the streets, we put another dent in the group’s business activities.”

Between October 2012 and January 2013, officers conducted the investigation, which led to charges against the following four people:

  • Michael Abate, a 24-year-old Calgary man, with four counts of trafficking and two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking;
  • Ephrem Dagne, a 22-year-old Lethbridge man, with four counts of trafficking and one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking;
  • Kenneth Fergusen, a 22-year-old Calgary man, with three counts of trafficking; and
  • Aasish Sanju, a 26-year-old Lethbridge man, with three counts of trafficking and one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Further investigation by CFSEU-Lethbridge, with assistance from the LRPS Community Policing Division, led to additional arrests on January 30.

Following a targeted traffic stop, police located and seized 236 grams of crack cocaine, 84 grams of powder cocaine, a laptop computer believed to be stolen, and seven cell phones from the suspect’s vehicle. The cocaine has a potential street value of $40,000.

Cody Skinner, a 26-year-old Lethbridge man, is charged with possession, possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of stolen property, and trafficking.

A second vehicle stop was conducted on January 30 by LRPS Community Policing Division and a woman was arrested. She was found in possession of 16 grams of crack cocaine, four grams of powder cocaine, and nine grams of marihuana.

Feruza Abdulahi, a 27-year-old Lethbridge woman, is charged with possession, possession for the purpose of trafficking, and obstructing a police officer when she provided a false name to police.

ALERT was established by the Government of Alberta to bring together the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources to tackle serious and organized crime. Over 400 municipal police, RCMP and sheriffs work for ALERT.

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Media inquiries may be directed to:
Staff Sergeant Wes Houston
CFSEU-Lethbridge
Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT)
403-330-5061

Candace Cook
Communications
Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT)
780-509-3015