ALERT bust seizes $250,000 worth of drugs, weapons

A joint investigation between the Calgary Police Service and RCMP has led to the seizure of $250,000 worth of drugs and 51 criminal charges against a Calgary couple.

The operation was run under the umbrella of Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT), which executed three search warrants in Calgary on Nov.27 that netted a wide variety of drugs:

• 488 gramsof cocaine.
• 390 grams of methamphetamine.
• 229 grams of heroin.
• 319 ml of GHB.
• 358 pills of Fentanyl.
• 35 grams of cannabis resin.
• 2.225 kg of Phenacetin.

According to a statement from ALERT, one of the residencesan apartment in Missionwas being used as a cocaine conversion lab to cook cocaineinto crack. A hydraulic cocaine press was seized from the apartment along with other evidence of drug trafficking.

In another location, an apartment on17th Avenue, investigators found a.357 Magnum revolver with the serial number defaced. Ammunition and other weapons, including a collapsible baton, brass knucklesand body armour, were seized.

ALERT also seized cash and cars with more than $30,000 in cash proceeds of crime and two luxury model SUVs now being submitted to the provinces civil forfeiture office.

The couple were arrested at a downtown condominium. Of the 51 charges, most are related to drugs, but include weapons offences, proceeds of crimeand breach of recognizance.

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta government as a compilation of the provinces most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime. Nearly 400 municipal police, RCMPand sheriffs work in ALERT.