Five charged with drug trafficking in Red Deer, Calgary, Lake Louise
Red Deer RCMP, Lake Louise RCMP and Calgary Police Service have charged five people with 30 charges after a multi-agency drug trafficking investigation resulted in the seizure of large amounts of cocaine and methamphetamine in three different jurisdictions.
The Red Deer RCMP trafficking investigation began in December 2017 when police followed up on an anonymous tip regarding cocaine trafficking in Red Deer. RCMP were supported by Correctional Service of Canada with regard to a trafficking suspect who was currently on parole. The investigation soon expanded further into a multi-agency operation involving Lake Louise RCMP and Calgary Police Service.
On April 28, Lake Louise RCMP conducted a traffic stop on a suspicious truck and determined that the driver was breaching his parole by being in Lake Louise without permission from his parole officer. RCMP arrested the male driver, and the two female passengers were released pending further investigation. The arrest for parole violation led to a drug investigation, and an auto theft officer out of the RCMP Serious Crimes south unit further determined that the impounded truck had a fake VIN and had been reported stolen out of Fort McLeod.
Lake Louise police officers seized significant amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine and Ecstasy, smaller amounts of other drugs and items consistent with drug trafficking, and connected into the longer-term trafficking investigation by Red Deer RCMP. The detachments collaborated to share information in support of further charges against the suspect and the future arrests of other identified drug trafficking targets.