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Wanted murderer amongst six charged in auto crimes investigation

Wanted murderer amongst six charged in auto crimes investigation

Edmonton… Charges have been laid against six suspects following a year-long investigation into an organized auto theft and revinning operation. One of the suspects is a wanted murderer, whose whereabouts remain unknown.

UPDATE: Joseph Chlala was arrested by the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Police in Akwesasne, New York, on August 5, 2024. He has since been transported back to Canada and remains in police custody.

 

ALERT Auto Crimes unit arrested four of the six suspects between June 18 and July 2, 2024 with a total of 20 charges laid. ALERT alleges the group was involved in a sophisticated auto theft and revinning operation, which was based at a rural location in Parkland County near Evansburg, Alta.

 

One of the suspects is Joseph Chlala who has been wanted for murder since September 2023.

 

ALERT’s investigation began in June 2023 when a stolen vehicle was identified and linked to an Edmonton homicide investigation. The vehicle was then connected to a rural address, which was purporting to be an auto detailer but in actuality was being used to re-VIN and reprogram stolen vehicles for resale and exportation.

 

In total ALERT identified a total of 20 stolen vehicles and one stolen car-hauler trailer. Eleven of the 20 stolen vehicles have been recovered, representing a total value of approximately $1 million. Other vehicles are suspected of having been exported to Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.

 

Six people have been charged:

  • Joseph Chlala, 22, from Calgary, is charged with possession of property obtained by crime, tampering with a vehicle identification number, and criminal mischief;
  • Michael Labar, 47, from Red Deer, is charged with possession of property obtained by crime, tampering with a vehicle identification number, criminal mischief, possession of proceeds of crime, and laundering proceeds of crime.
  • Quinn Olson, 48, from Red Deer, is charged with uttering a forged document.
  • Zarina Mir-Wais, 32, from Red Deer, is charged with uttering a forged document.
  • Sherry Mackenzie, 67, from Red Deer, is charged with trafficking property obtained by crime, using a forged document, fraud, possession of proceeds of crime, and laundering proceeds of crime.
  • Cherie Baptiste, 40, from Red Deer, is charged with possession of proceeds of crime.

 

Chlala has connections in Edmonton, Calgary and Ottawa and is described as being 5-foot-5 with a heavy build, brown hair and green eyes. The Bolo Program is offering a reward up to $50,000 for information that leads to his arrest.

 

A warrant has also been issued for Zarina Mir-Wais.

 

Anyone with information on this investigation, or the whereabouts of Chlala or Mir-Wais, is asked to contact local police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

 

ALERT received assistance from Edmonton Police Service, Calgary Police Service, Red Deer RCMP, Sylvan Lake RCMP, and RCMP K-Division Auto Theft unit.

 

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.

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