Record bust: Edmonton-bound fentanyl shipment intercepted by ALERT

In a record-setting drug bust, Edmonton's ALERT team has seized2,000fentanylpills and 60 kilograms of marijuana.

The fentanyl seizure in the largest of its kind by the team and is ALERT's third-largest fentanyl seizure to date.

ThreeEdmonton men now face numerous charges, including possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Investigators were tipped that a vehicle was returning to the Edmonton area from the B.C. lower mainland with a large stash of illegal drugs.

The vehicle was intercepted onJune 3, leading officers to search three Edmonton homes, in the Rutherford, Terwillegar, and Lewis Estates neighbourhoods.

The 2,000 fentanyl pills were seized from a condominium on Hanna Crescent, in the south-end neighbourhood of Haddow, and are believed to have originated in B.C.

The drugs seized, withan estimated value of $866,000, included:

• 2,000 fentanyl pills;
• four kilograms of marijuana shatter;
• 58 kilograms of dried marijuana;
• five grams of cocaine;
• body armour;
• Taser;
• 650 rounds of ammunition and prohibited magazine;
• $26,000 cash proceeds of crime.

In addition, two vehicles worth an estimated $35,000 were seized. One was equipped with a hidden compartment for transporting drugs.

The vehicles and cash will be submitted to civil forfeiture.

Investigators say the suspects, between 28 and 35 years old, were bringing drugs in from B.C. and distributing in the Edmonton area.

ALERT has seized more than 30,000 fentanyl pills over the past years, saidStaff Sgt. Pierre Blais.

"These pills are killing Albertans for profit," he said. "This was a small portion of what's out there. But there's no doubt in my mind that our investigators saved multiple people from overdoses. No doubt in my mind."

Fentanyloverdoses killed 69 people in Alberta in the first three months of this year. There were 274 such deaths in the province in 2015.

But Blais said drug busts alone won't stop the flow of the increasingly populardrug, which is 100 times more powerful than morphine.

"I'll be the first one to admit, police are not going to arrest our way out of this situation," he said.

Nearby residents in Terwillegarreacted Tuesday to news that police had shut downa major drug operation in their part of the city.

AmenahGulamhusein, whohas lived in the area for 13 years, said it's asafe neighbourhood and the bust doesn't change that.

"It's kind of scary, a little bit, but I feel like that happens. I mean, it's a possibility in any neighbourhood,so it's a possibility in ours, too."

"The police are definitely doing their job, so good for them," saidSergeiPech, whohas lived in the neighbourhood for six years.