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Record Drug Seizures Realized by ALERT in Project Coyote

Record Drug Seizures Realized by ALERT in Project Coyote

Calgary… An international investigation involving ALERT and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration has intercepted record amounts of cocaine and fentanyl.

Project Coyote was a two-year ALERT Calgary investigation that resulted in the seizure of $15 million worth of drugs, over $4.5 million in cash and assets, and 13 firearms. Seven people have been arrested to date.

https://youtu.be/dro0O1mmGtw

The drug seizure is the largest of its kind by ALERT, and its success includes what is believed to be Canada’s largest fentanyl seizure of 250,000 pills. In addition, an 81-kilogram cocaine shipment, destined for Canada, was intercepted in Texas.

Project Coyote sought to dismantle major drug supply lines that were believed to be responsible for the importation of cocaine and fentanyl into Alberta. More than 30 search warrants were conducted over the course of the investigation, and the most recent arrest took place on October 3, 2019.

Some of the major seizures from Project Coyote include:

  • 250,000 [alert-tooltip title=”Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug that is much more powerful than many others in the opioid family, including heroin, morphine and codeine. Click for more info.”]fentanyl[/alert-tooltip] pills;
  • 98 kilograms of [alert-tooltip title=”Cocaine is a powerful, addictive drug derived from the leaves of coca plants, which are native to parts of South America. Click for more info.”]cocaine[/alert-tooltip];
  • 5 kilograms of [alert-tooltip title=”Methamphetamine (or meth) is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system. It is often seen in the form of a white powder with a bitter taste or a pill. Click for more info.”]methamphetamine[/alert-tooltip];
  • 7,626 methamphetamine and [alert-tooltip title=”MDMA, also known as ecstasy, was first developed by a German pharmaceutical company in 1912. It was intended as a parent compound to synthesize medications that would control bleeding. Click for more info.”]ecstasy[/alert-tooltip] pills;
  • 13 [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];
  • $1.3 million in cash; and
  • $3.2 million in restrained assets, including houses and bank accounts.

The record fentanyl seizure took place at a Calgary apartment on February 16, 2018. No one was arrested at the time, and from there ALERT launched an extensive investigation in an attempt to identify the network and source responsible.

Investigators ultimately uncovered an alleged cocaine importation scheme and distribution network. Working in partnership with the U.S. DEA, and with the help of Harris County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office, ALERT was able to intercept an 81-kilogram shipment of cocaine in Houston on May 18, 2019.

The Texas arrest was the catalyst for ALERT to identify the alleged financiers and persons responsible. ALERT alleges that Warren Lowe oversaw an extensive drug distribution network that spanned from British Columbia to Ontario. Based in Calgary, the 53-year-old man faces extensive criminal charges relating to organized crime, drugs, and firearms.

ALERT alleges that Lowe orchestrated cocaine supply lines, and in this instance sent Elizabeth Fisher to facilitate the supply. The 49-year-old Calgary woman was arrested in possession of 81 kilograms of cocaine and has remained in a Texas prison ever since. She is due to appear in a Houston court on March 2, 2020, and a Canadian warrant has been applied for her arrest.

Seven people are currently facing 77 criminal charges, with a breakdown of the individual offences available via the attached document:

  • Warren Lowe, a 53-year-old man from Calgary;
  • Elizabeth Fisher, a 49-year-old woman from Calgary;
  • Richard Fisher, a 44-year-old man from Calgary;
  • Emanuel Amha, a 30-year-old man from Calgary;
  • Olivier Kenge, a 52-year-old man from Calgary;
  • Cole Leblanc, a 30-year-old man from Calgary; and
  • Victoria Pon, a 29-year-old woman from Vancouver.

Project Coyote relied on a number of sophisticated police techniques and specialized resources, but ALERT is unable to provide further details on what those were, and what roles they played.

In addition to the partnership with the DEA, Project Coyote involved a number of partner agencies including: Calgary Police Service; Canada Revenue Agency; Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FINTRAC); Forensic Accounting Management Group (FAMG); U.S. Department of Homeland Security; Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit-British Columbia; Harris County (Texas) Sheriff’s Office; Canada Border Services Agency; Toronto Police Service; Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit-Greater Toronto Area; Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis; Tsuu T’ina Police Service; and a number of RCMP detachments, including Banff, Toronto Airport, C Division (Quebec), Washington D.C. Liaison Office, and National Weapons Enforcement Support Team.

Since being formed in 2006, ALERT has taken nearly $650 million of harmful drugs off of Alberta streets.

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.

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Notices to media:

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