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Medicine Hat… Five people have been charged and more than $1.6 million in fentanyl and meth were seized in a joint investigation between ALERT and RCMP Federal Serious Organized Crime.
Project Motor is an 18-month investigation that spanned across Canada’s westernmost provinces. ALERT alleges the drug trafficking network had its origins in British Columbia’s lower mainland, and fanned out across Calgary, Edmonton, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Saskatoon, and Winnipeg.
The investigation originated in Medicine Hat and came on the heels of a series of large drug busts in southeast Alberta in early 2020. ALERT was able to trace back the drug supply, and leverage criminal intelligence, in order to develop a clearer picture of the criminal organization believed to be responsible.
More than $1.6 million dollars’ worth of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine were seized, along with 11 firearms and $82,000 cash. Five members of the drug network have been charged with offences ranging from drug trafficking to conspiracy to traffic drugs to participating in a criminal organization.
The seizures took place during the course of the investigation and included homes being searched in Calgary, Edmonton, and Fort St. John, B.C. Investigators seized:
Analysis is being completed on the firearms and drugs seized. The fentanyl alone represents a theoretical yield of 50,000 doses, as it would be typically sold on the street-level.
Four people have been charged with a total of 37 criminal offences:
A warrant has been issued for an additional suspect, who is presently believed to be somewhere in British Columbia:
Project Motor relied on the assistance of a number of police agencies and specialized units, including: Medicine Hat Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Calgary Police Service, British Columbia Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU), Vancouver Police, and RCMP Fort St. John, and RCMP specialized units in E-Division and K-Division
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.