(ALERT)

By rdnewsNOW staff

north red deer home

Authorities seize $2.2 million worth of drugs and cash in Red Deer’s largest bust

Nov 13, 2023 | 4:53 PM

More than $2.2 million worth of drugs and cash has been seized in Red Deer. According to the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT), the seizure is believed to be the largest in the city’s history.

On Tuesday, ALERT and other RCMP members shared details of the seizure which contained large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine, along with nine firearms.

“Illicit drugs have done incredible damage in our community. Their presence in Red Deer has touched everyone in some way, but none more than the users and their families. The complexities and problems drugs bring to a community, are manifold and only amplify the already challenging circumstances faced by our most vulnerable populations. Solutions for things like homelessness, mental health issues, socio-economic factors, seem to only move further out of reach for those vulnerable people. Our city is no exception; requiring ongoing and focused enforcement resources to assist in managing the social and criminal side effects that evolve as a result of the illicit drugs trade,” said Supt. Holly Glassford of the Red Deer RCMP, acknowledging the work of the Youth and Community Action Team, Crime Reduction Team, Downtown Unit, Specialized Investigators, and agency partners.

Officials say ALERT Red Deer’s organized crime team made the seizure on October 19, 2023.

Local Delmond Kroetsch was arrested shortly after investigators witnessed a suspected drug deal that took place in the downtown area that same month, authorities say.

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The 43-year-old man was charged after his home in the Fairview neighbourhood in north Red Deer was searched following the arrest. Red Deer RCMP helped with the execution of the search warrant.

Items seized include:

• 6.8 kilograms of fentanyl;
• 6.5 kilograms of methamphetamine;
• 0.4 kilograms of cocaine;
• 1.9 litres of GHB;
• $17,286 cash;
• two handguns
• four rifles
• three shotguns
• 20,000 rounds of ammunition
• body armour

Eight of the firearms were loaded and several were sawed-off, had their serial numbers defaced, or were previously reported as stolen, ALERT says.

(L-R) Insp. Brad Lundeen, ALERT; and Supt. Holly Glassford, Red Deer RCMP at Tuesday’s press conference at the Red Deer RCMP detachment. (rdnewsNOW/Alessia Proietti)

ALERT Inspector Brad Lunden said, given the amount of drugs seized, they are confident Kroetsch supplied at a wholesale level to street dealers in Red Deer and the surrounding area. While he acknowledged that drug trafficking will be a never-ending problem for communities as the substances are entering through various international and provincial borders, he said a seizure of this size will surely have an impact on the drug supply lines.

“It also sends a message to those who are trafficking in these drugs that we’re not going to tolerate that, we’re always going to be looking for those that are involved in that drug trafficking activity and we’re looking to get them off the streets and charges laid on them because they’re essentially poisoning the communities,” said Lunden.

The province already recorded over 1,300 deaths from toxic drugs, majority fentanyl Lunden says, up until the month of August. While less than last year, Red Deer still recorded 34 deaths from January to August 2023.

READ: Latest opioid data shows slower summer in Red Deer, but crisis remains

He said while he has not seen an increase in trafficking in central Alberta, he has seen an increase in the size and mix of drugs in each seizure, and in associated violence.

“It’s almost with every seizure that we’re seeing some form of weapons that are involved within these seizures. Organized crime is a violent business, it involves the commodity of drugs as well as cash that proceeds from that distribution network. These organized crime groups are utilizing violence to protect that industry,” he said, referencing the recent child in Edmonton that was killed due to his father’s involvement in organized crime.

READ: Man, 11-year-old son intentionally shot and killed in parked vehicle: Edmonton police

ALERT says it will also be pursuing civil forfeiture against seized cash, silver bars, collectable coins, and three high-end electric scooters. The scooters were allegedly being used to facilitate the accused’s drug trafficking operations.

Kroetsch has been charged with possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime, and 28 firearms-related offences. He remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on December 4, 2023.

Police add that Kroetsch was not in lawful possession of the firearms and has a lifetime firearms prohibition stemming from a Fort McMurray investigation in 2002.

According to ALERT, Red Deer’s largest known drug seizure previously occurred in March 2019. The RCMP-led investigation resulted in the seizure of 1.6 kilograms of cocaine, 1.2 kilograms of fentanyl, and 2.6 kilograms of methamphetamine, amongst other drugs.

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