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ALERT targets drug trafficking network in Westlock, St. Albert area

ALERT targets drug trafficking network in Westlock, St. Albert area

ALERT targets drug trafficking network in Westlock, St. Albert area

February 17, 2012

Eight people charged with trafficking cocaine, meth, marihuana, and prescription drugs

 

Edmonton… ALERT‘s Edmonton Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU),  an integrated team of Edmonton Police Service and RCMP members, with the assistance of Westlock and St. Albert RCMP detachments, recently shut down an alleged drug trafficking network believed to be operating in the communities of Westlock and St. Albert.

ALERT’s investigation led to the execution of four search warrants; one for a residence in St. Albert and three for residences in Westlock. Together, the searches yielded 10 grams of cocaine, 2 grams of methamphetamine, 977 grams of marihuana, and more than 500 tablets of four different prescription medications.  Investigators also found a .357 Magnum handgun with 54 rounds of ammunition, nunchuks, brass knuckles, drug trafficking paraphernalia, and nearly $9,000 cash.

Five men and two women were arrested and charged with 36 Controlled Drugs and Substance Act and Criminal Code offences.

These arrests follow other recent similar operations by ALERT conducted in the St. Paul, Brooks and Redcliff areas.

“These groups should be on notice that we don’t just operate in the big cities,” commented Staff Sergeant Jim Peebles of the Edmonton CFSEU. “We also work with rural RCMP detachments throughout the province to target and shut-down organizations supplying drugs to their communities.”

Arrested and charged are:

  • St. Albert resident, Philip Dale Rombough, age 45, on six counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, two counts of possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of a restricted firearm, careless storage of a firearm, possession of a firearm without a license, and possession of proceeds of crime;
  • St. Albert resident, Aaron Deblois, age 37, on possession for the purpose of trafficking;
  • Westlock resident, Darryl Smith, age 53, on two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime;
  • Westlock resident, Wayne Schmidt, age 50, on two counts of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking;
  • Westlock resident, Jeremy Schmidt, age 18, on two counts of possession of a controlled substance and three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking;
  • Westlock resident, Karen Wilson, age 53, on two counts of possession of a controlled substance and three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking;
  • Westlock resident, Savauna Ziehe, age 19, on three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and four counts of breach of recognizance;

An arrest warrant has also been issued for an eighth suspect; a female, Westlock resident.

CFSEU-Edmonton is an ALERT team established and funded by the Government of Alberta to bring together the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources and tools to combat organized crime.  Over 400 municipal police, RCMP, and sheriffs work for ALERT.

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Media inquiries may be directed to:
S/Sgt Jim Peebles
CFSEU-Edmonton
Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams
Ph: 780-509-3098

Candace Cook
Communications
Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams
Ph: 780-509-3015

Cpl. David Casey
Westlock RCMP Detachment
Ph: 780-349-4492

Cpl. Laurel Kading
St. Albert RCMP Detachment
Ph: 780-45804300

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