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Edmonton… Three stolen handguns and more than $560,000 worth of drugs and cash have been seized after ALERT searched two Edmonton homes.
ALERT’s Edmonton [alert-tooltip title=”ALERT has organized crime teams based in seven cities across Alberta. Click for more info.”]organized crime and gang team[/alert-tooltip] made the seizures and arrested two people after searching homes in the Hamptons and Crystallina Nera neighbourhoods. Edmonton Police Service and RCMP provided assistance when the search warrants were executed on July 17, 2019.
The search warrants were executed as part of a short-term drug trafficking investigation that began in May 2019. In addition to an assortment of drugs and cash, three stolen handguns were recovered.
Two of the handguns were loaded and one was equipped with a suppressor. The handguns had been previously reported stolen from Mayerthorpe, Strathcona County, and Grande Prairie. The [alert-tooltip title=”More and more, ALERT investigators are finding firearms when they investigate organized crime groups who are involved in drug trafficking. Click to find out more.”]firearms[/alert-tooltip] will be the subject of forensic examination and ballistics testing to determine if they were used in any other crimes.
“We’re proud of the significant results this investigation yielded in a relatively short period of time,” said Insp. Marc Cochlin, ALERT Edmonton. “Getting these weapons and drugs off the street will go a long way toward making our communities safer.”
The drugs seized have an estimated street value of more than $400,000 and include:
More than $166,000 in cash proceeds of crime was also seized.
Two people were arrested. Cody Hilton, 32, and Connie Liu, 53, have been charged with a total of 40 criminal offences, including: possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking; possession of cannabis for the distribution; possession of property obtained by crime; and numerous firearms-related offences.
Members of the public who suspect drug or gang activity in their community can call local police, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is always anonymous.
[alert-tooltip title=”More than 300 municipal police and RCMP officers work together in teams at ALERT to investigate everything from drug trafficking to child exploitation to gang violence. Click for more info.”]ALERT[/alert-tooltip] was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime. Members of Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, and RCMP work in ALERT.
The work we do is about our communities, and that’s why we recognize that residents can be instrumental in tackling serious crime. If you or someone you know has been the victim of a crime, or you suspect criminal activity, please reach out. Your information will remain strictly confidential.
Thank you for helping to make Alberta safer by being actively involved and reporting suspicious activity.