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ALERT seizes over $30,000 in drugs during significant Fort McMurray bust

ALERT seizes over $30,000 in drugs during significant Fort McMurray bust

January 23, 2012

ALERT seizes over $30,000 in drugs during significant Fort McMurray bust

Fort McMurray…The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) concluded a drug trafficking investigation with the arrest of two men and the most significant heroin seizure in Fort McMurray to date.

On January 20, ALERT’s Combined Special Forces Enforcement Unit-Wood Buffalo (CFSEU-Wood Buffalo), with help from Wood Buffalo RCMP, conducted two searches and seized 181 individually packaged points of heroin and 147 OxyContin tablets. If sold on the street, the heroin is valued at over $18,000, while the OxyContin would garner over $14,000. The team also found one ounce of marihuana, over 200 illegal cigarettes and $4,400 cash.

“While this is a significant seizure, ALERT knows there is still much more work to be done,” said CFSEU-Wood Buffalo Sgt. Irv Heide. “Drugs do not only harm users, but they also affect our communities. We will continue to target the people responsible for supplying drugs in our community.”

Denny BROWN, age 30, and Andrew SHEARING, age 28, are each charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, and one count each of possession of a controlled substance, possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000 and possession of illegal cigarettes.

ALERT wants to remind the public to call its gang information hotline at (780) 788-GANG to report any tips that would assist the police in its crackdown on gang and organized crime activity in the Fort McMurray area. Callers can report information anonymously and the call will be kept strictly confidential. People can also report suspicious activity in their community by contacting police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Made up of RCMP members, CFSEU-Wood Buffalo is an ALERT team funded by the Government of Alberta and the regional municipality of Wood Buffalo. CFSEU-Wood Buffalo works with other ALERT units to tackle serious and organized crime around the province. Over 400 municipal police, RCMP and sheriffs work for ALERT.

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Media inquiries may be directed to:
Sgt. Irv Heide Jill Baird
CFSEU-Wood Buffalo Communications
Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT)
780-788-4154 780-509-3028

Since 2022, CISA has been guided by four pillars that focus the effort to promote an integrated, intelligence-led approach to combating organized crime; these are:

  • Building Relationships with Stakeholders;
  • Promote Intel Sharing Across the Province;
  • Being Proactive and Identify Emerging Trends; and
  • Investing in Our People Through Training and Development

 

Criminal Intelligence Service Alberta (CISA) has recently developed an Alberta Firearms Intelligence Centre (AFIC) to equitably expand access to firearms intelligence for all law enforcement agencies within Alberta. AFIC will provide timely, accurate, and actionable intelligence to law enforcement agencies and policy-makers to achieve the shared and collaborative goals of increasing public safety concerning firearm-related crimes.

Protecting Kids Online | Internet Child Exploitation

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

FILE INTAKES

680

872

1,149

1,114

3,815

2,994

2,764

SUSPECTS CHARGED

22

16

34

37

109

81

125

CHARGES LAID

87

45

123

160

415

351

413

CHILDREN RESCUED

26

78

56

43

203

46

100

EXHIBITS SEIZED

335

368

545

476

1,724

1,243

1,845

TOTAL PHOTOS/VIDEOS

262,400

511,133

1,374,310

606,254

2,754,097

2,551,921

13,260,819

Stopping Human Trafficking | HUMAN TRAFFICKING & COUNTER EXPLOITATION

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

SUSPECTS CHARGED

13

10

7

4

34

30

76

CHARGES LAID

79

46

87

19

231

96

157

VICTIM INTERVENTIONS

30

29

17

37

113

28

22

Intelligence & Expertise | CISA / Training

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

INTELLIGENCE REPORTS

409

296

327

442

1,474

1,560

1,318

TRAINING COURSES

5

3

8

11

27

36

25

CANDIDATES TRAINED

321

56

135

350

862

933

638

Disrupt & Dismantle Organized Crime | Combined Special Forces Enforcement

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

SUSPECTS CHARGED

40

27

42

32

141

197

168

CHARGES LAID

176

156

237

231

800

1,088

820

FIREARMS SEIZED

105

53

26

48

232

102

126

EST. VALUE OF DRUGS SEIZED

$906,814

$553,851

$2,725,161

$1,148,337

$5,334,163

$10,898,269

$334,093,020

PROCEEDS OF CRIME SEIZED

$218,133

$52,970

$130,996

$230,195

$632,294

$1,432,847

$21,740,617

ANNUAL Regional ResultS

ARRESTS

CHARGES

FIREARMS

DRUGS

PROCEEDS

CALGARY

24

110

14

$937,422

$65,881

EDMONTON

17

131

45

$592,839

$272,446

FORT MCMURRAY

8

78

4

$352,942

$144,301

GRANDE PRAIRIE

7

17

13

$192,145

$31,855

LETHBRIDGE

7

29

44

$349,773

$51,245

LLOYDMINSTER

24

93

41

$164,134

$12,504

MEDICINE HAT

37

179

13

$293,108

$7,861

RED DEER

17

163

58

$2,451,800

$46,201

TOTALS

141

800

232

$5,334,163

$632,294

Organized Property Crimes | Auto Crimes

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

SUSPECTS CHARGED

1

1

2

1

10

CHARGES LAID

11

47

STOLEN VEHICLES

23

15

1

6

45

245

118

RECOVERED ASSETS

$1,432,000

$941,025

$108,000

$260,000

$2,741025

$8,420,500

$3,919,500

Firearms investigations | Firearms lab & Gang suPpression teams

Q1

Q2

Q3

Q4

2023-24

2022-23

2021-22

FIREARMS EXAMINATIONS

349

351

243

235

1,178

EXHIBIT EXAMINATIONS

1,316

1,409

891

1,099

4,715

SERIAL NUMBER RESTORATIONS

31

34

19

24

108

IBIS SUBMISSIONS

343

421

1,334

304

2,402

GUN SEIZURES

1

14

15

SUSPECTS CHARGED

4

22

26

CHARGES LAID

41

144

185

Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) involves images and/or videos that depict the sexual abuse of minors – the majority of which involve prepubescent children. Often, CSAM involves explicit and/or extreme sexual assaults against the child victim (Cybertip.ca).

Learn more about Internet Child Exploitation and ALERT’s integrated teams combatting this issue.

Ghost Guns are illegal, privately manufactured firearms or lower receivers. These weapons are often made with 3D-printers, and undermine public safety due to their lack of licensing requirements, serialization and safety controls.

Learn more about Ghost Guns on ALERT’s dedicated Privately Manufactured Firearms info page