A coordinated, year‑long investigation by Alberta and Saskatchewan organised‑crime units has resulted in the seizure of nearly $250,000 worth of drugs and two handguns, and criminal charges against four people, authorities announced Friday.
Interprovincial network targeted
The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) and the Saskatchewan RCMP’s Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Team (STRT) said the probe focused on an interprovincial drug‑trafficking network that they say affected multiple communities in both provinces. The inquiry produced a combined 48 criminal charges against three people from Alberta and one person from Saskatchewan.
ALERT said the investigation touched a wide geographic area, with activity linked to Alberta communities including Edmonton, Lloydminster and Cold Lake, and Saskatchewan communities such as Prince Albert, North Battleford, Maidstone, Saskatoon, Cumberland House, Spiritwood and Holbein.
Seizures and evidence
Police reported the following items seized over the course of the operation:
- 2,591 grams of cocaine
- 418 grams of a cocaine buffing agent
- 62 grams of fentanyl
- Two handguns and ammunition
- A prohibited, extended handgun magazine
The combined street value of the drugs was estimated at $225,000, while authorities described the broader seizure total as nearly $250,000. ALERT said the two handguns were illegally owned and will be examined by Alberta’s Provincial Firearms Lab to determine whether they have links to other criminal activity.
| Item | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Cocaine | 2,591 g |
| Cocaine buffing agent | 418 g |
| Fentanyl | 62 g |
| Handguns | 2 |
“A lot of communities were impacted by this drug network’s reach, and thanks to our joint efforts with STRT, we were able to strike back and take firearms and drugs out of the wrong hands,”
ALERT Insp. Brad Lundeen offered the remark in the release. STRT Sgt. Aaron Gervais also highlighted the unit’s mandate to disrupt criminal groups trafficking drugs and illegal firearms across and within provincial borders.
Partners and next steps
Both organised‑crime units leaned on local detachments and federal partners during the lengthy probe. ALERT and STRT credited assistance from RCMP detachments in Cold Lake, Lloydminster and the Battlefords, the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST) and the Edmonton Police Service.
The four people facing charges were identified in the release as:
- Kout Buttic, 31, Edmonton
- Kreston David, 26, Spruce Grove
- Conin Whitedeer, 22, Cold Lake
- (A fourth individual is from Saskatchewan; the release provided no additional identifying details in the material supplied.)
Authorities said the firearms seized will undergo forensic analysis to establish whether they have been used in other offences. Charges laid against the four individuals totalled 48 counts; the release did not list specific charges for each accused.
The seizure underscores continued law‑enforcement concern about cross‑border trafficking of illegal drugs and weapons in Western Canada. Investigators emphasised that disrupting supply networks and removing firearms from circulation are key to reducing violence and drug‑related harms in impacted communities.
Prosecutions are expected to follow the conclusion of forensic work and the formal charging process.
