December 22, 2014
Two Medicine Hat Men Arrested in Cocaine Bust
Medicine Hat… Two Medicine Hat men have been arrested following an Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) drug trafficking investigation that resulted in the seizure of cocaine and a rifle.
ALERT’s Medicine Hat Team, consisting of members of Medicine Hat Police Service and RCMP members, executed search warrants at three locations on December 19. The search warrants resulted in the seizure of over half a kilogram of cocaine, a SKS soviet semi-automatic rifle, and body armour.
Brenden Taylor, 24, and Wayne Shrubsall 42, are facing several drug and weapons-related charges. Taylor was arrested in Medicine Hat, while Shrubsall was arrested in a vehicle stop on the Trans-Canada Highway east of Medicine Hat near Maple Creek, Sask. Maple Creek RCMP assisted with the arrest, and a search of the vehicle yielded 300 grams of cocaine.
In total, the estimated street value of the drugs seized is $90,000. During the month of December ALERT Medicine Hat have seized over one kilogram of cocaine and seized 12 guns.
Taylor remains in custody and due to appear in court in Medicine Hat December 23.
Shrubsall is due to appear in court in Swift Current January 14.
ALERT 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. Nearly 400 municipal police, RCMP, and sheriffs work in ALERT.
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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.
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
2024-25
2023-24
2022-23
FILE INTAKES
1,327
1,863
1,392
1,289
5,871
3,815
2,994
SUSPECTS CHARGED
33
41
30
31
135
109
81
CHARGES LAID
164
185
112
116
577
415
351
CHILDREN RESCUED
50
39
48
41
178
203
46
EXHIBITS SEIZED
468
535
427
401
1,831
1,724
1,243
TOTAL PHOTOS/VIDEOS
275,144
725,022
421,057
232,802
1,654,025
2,754,097
2,551,921
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
2024-25
2023-24
2022-23
SUSPECTS CHARGED
19
3
22
11
55
34
30
CHARGES LAID
31
17
38
31
117
231
96
VICTIM INTERVENTIONS
55
46
110
57
268
113
28
VICTIM SUPPORTS
43
59
116
67
285
–
–
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
2024-25
2023-24
2022-23
INTELLIGENCE REPORTS
303
268
339
343
1,253
1,474
1,560
TRAINING COURSES
12
4
7
7
30
27
36
CANDIDATES TRAINED
215
140
233
364
952
862
933
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
2024-25
2023-24
2022-23
SUSPECTS CHARGED
24
31
36
32
123
141
197
CHARGES LAID
129
189
143
160
621
800
1,088
FIREARMS SEIZED
48
41
16
20
125
232
102
EST. VALUE OF DRUGS SEIZED
$3,335,838
$1,021,540
$4,476,809
$1,147,381
$9,981,568
$5,334,163
$10,898,296
PROCEEDS OF CRIME SEIZED
$275,466
$283,758
$1,214,496
$121,518
$1,895,238
$632,294
$1,432,847
ARRESTS
CHARGES
FIREARMS
DRUGS
PROCEEDS
CALGARY
4
14
–
$379,185
$28,455
EDMONTON
3
25
2
$53,235
$15,285
FORT MCMURRAY
2
7
9
$396,730
–
GRANDE PRAIRIE
6
22
–
$7,596
–
LETHBRIDGE
1
8
1
$31,460
$8,670
LLOYDMINSTER
6
29
3
$12,060
$4,978
MEDICINE HAT
7
40
5
$264,805
$35,040
RED DEER
3
15
–
$2,310
–
TOTALS
32
160
20
$1,147,381
$121,518
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
2024-25
2023-24
2022-23
SUSPECTS CHARGED
11
3
–
1
15
2
1
CHARGES LAID
78
12
–
2
92
–
11
STOLEN VEHICLES
14
7
3
–
24
45
245
RECOVERED ASSETS
$825,000
$535,000
$250,000
$1,674,250
$3,284,250
$2,741,025
$8,420,500
Q1
Q2
Q3
Q4
2024-25
2023-24
2022-23
FIREARMS EXAMINATIONS
276
250
286
236
1,048
1,178
–
EXHIBIT EXAMINATIONS
1,282
1,099
1,383
1,245
5,009
4,715
–
SERIAL NUMBER RESTORATIONS
18
19
12
18
67
108
–
IBIS SUBMISSIONS
345
355
405
384
1,489
2,402
–
GUN SEIZURES
9
11
6
19
45
15
–
SUSPECTS CHARGED
23
53
43
28
147
26
–
CHARGES LAID
120
128
112
110
505
185
–
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:
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
