Annual Report 2025-26

This year, 2025-26, marked a milestone for ALERT as the organization celebrated 20 years of keeping Alberta communities safe. Founded by the Alberta Government in 2006, ALERT is the province’s integrated response to serious and organized crime.

ALERT enforcement teams also reached the milestone of surpassing $1 billion in drugs seized – since inception. That number represents countless lives spared from the debilitating effects of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and thousands of drug dealers put in jail and held accountable for poisoning our communities.

Click to view ALERT’s 2025-26 Annual Report

While drugs remain the main commodity of organized crime, over the two decades ALERT teams have also expanded to tackle human trafficking, firearms offences, child exploitation, auto crimes, money laundering, and cybercrimes. Last year alone our specialized teams arrested 323 offenders and laid 1,452 charges in relation to those criminal markets.

Our 2025-26 Annual Report highlights the success our teams are having and showcases what ALERT is doing to deliver on our public safety priorities:

• Disrupting organized crime: Project Cerberus was one of the largest drug seizures in ALERT’s history with over $15 million in drugs seized. Working with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, Calgary Police, and RCMP, the investigation dismantled an extensive cross-border drug trafficking network between Canada and the United States, with established ties to Mexican cartel(s).
• Taking guns off the street: Alberta streets were made safer with ALERT taking 85 firearms out of the hands of drug dealers and gang members. ALERT continues to be a national leader in investigating firearms offences and staying ahead of emerging trends. This year, Canmore hosted the third edition of the Firearms Investigations and Prosecutions Conference which brought together prosecutors, police officers, government officials, and forensics experts.
• Keeping kids safe online: The Internet Child Exploitation unit rescued over 100 children from child sexual exploitation and instances of online luring. In one investigation, 29 victims of luring and sexual assault were identified through the arrest of a prolific Leduc offender. ICE handled over 5,000 investigations as online offences continue to surge across the province.
• Stopping human trafficking: Human Trafficking units provide a victim-centered approach to ending exploitation. Safety Network Coordinators identified and supported more than 60 survivors on a path to recovery, while enforcement teams targeted their perpetrators. More than 73 sex traffickers were arrested during the year.
• Supporting our partners: ALERT’s assistance to our partner agencies is rendered through surveillance, undercover operations, expert testimony, presentations, intelligence reports, source information, training opportunities, and many more.

ALERT’s success can be attributed to our partner agencies – municipal police services, indigenous communities, federal agencies, various detachments, and specialized stakeholders – we are united in keeping Alberta communities safe. And of course, this success is only achievable because of the support and funding provided by the Alberta Government.