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Seized Items. (Image Credit: Alberta RCMP)
Wetaskiwin Man Charged

Alberta RCMP Rural Organized Crime Team seize weapons and drugs

Jun 23, 2026 | 2:33 PM

A Wetaskiwin man is facing 18 charges after Alberta Mounties seized drugs and firearms from a Maskwacis residence over the weekend.

On June 20, 2026, the Alberta RCMP Rural Organized Crime Team (ROCT) completed a traffic stop while conducting suppression patrols in Maskwacis, Alta. As a result of the traffic stop, officers entered into an investigation under the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act, with the assistance of Maskwacis RCMP. 

During the investigation, police seized the following items: 

  • 6 grams of suspected fentanyl;
  • 3 grams of suspected cocaine;
  • Sawed off rifle;
  • 2 loaded home-made shotguns;
  • .22 caliber magazine.

A 34-year-old Wetaskiwin man was arrested and charged with the following: 

  • Possession contrary to order (x4);
  • Possession for the purpose of trafficking Schedule I: Cocaine;
  • Possession for the purpose of trafficking Schedule I: Fentanyl;
  • Careless use of a firearm;
  • Possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose;
  • Unauthorized possession of a firearm (x4);
  • Unauthorized possession in a motor vehicle (x3);
  • Possession of a firearm without a license (x2);
  • Unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon. 

RCMP say the suspect was held for a Judicial Interim Release (JIR) Hearing and remanded into custody. He was scheduled to appear in the Alberta Cout of Justice in Wetaskiwin on June 23, 2026. 

On May 28, 2026, RCMP acknowledge the Alberta government announced it was providing 8 million dollars in additional funds to law enforcement in Alberta to combat organized crime.

The Alberta RCMP says it received 2 million in additional funding which has supported the creation of the Alberta Rural Organized Crime Team, which RCMP says is having an impact in Alberta communities everyday.  

The Alberta RCMP says it has allocated part of the funding to establish its new ROCT, a mobile unit made of a core group of officers focused on gang activity and violence linked to drug and firearm offences. Mounties say the team deploys to communities experiencing the highest levels of crime, using data-driven intelligence to identify and target priority offenders causing the greatest harm. 

While this new unit has a specific mandate, Mounties say it will not operate alone. According to the RCMP, this team will be reinforced by their unique network of specialized units and resources to investigate, disrupt, and dismantle organized criminal activity. The Alberta RCMP says it will also continue working closely with municipal police partners, provincial agencies, and community stakeholders to strengthen enforcement efforts across jurisdictions. 

If you have any information regarding crime within Maskwacis, please contact the Maskwacis RCMP at 780-585-3767. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS), online at www.P3Tips.com or by using the “P3 Tips” app available through the Apple App or Google Play Store. To report crime online, or for access to RCMP news and information, download the Alberta RCMP app through Apple or Google Play.