Two Fort McMurray men charged in $750,000 drug seizure

 FORT MCMURRAY – ALERT’s Wood Buffalo’s Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU-Wood Buffalo) executed a search warrant for a home in Fort McMurray on Dec. 12, and seized more than $750,000 in drugs, including $300,000 in cocaine.

CFSEU-Wood Buffalo, a unit of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT), and the Wood Buffalo RCMP Detachment seized $300,000 in cocaine, 993 grams of ecstasy (street value of $200,000), three litres of Gamma Hydroxybutyric (GHB, commonly known as the “date-rape drug”), more than 400 grams each of marijuana and hashish, more than 1,000 prescription pills, and a collection of anabolic steroids, including 800 bottles of injectable Human Growth Hormone.

Richard Cosman, 31, and Jeromy Laporte, 30, both of Fort McMurray, have been charged following an investigation. They are facing eight charges each of possession for the purpose of trafficking and one count each of possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000.

ALERT says drug trafficking paraphernalia, more than $46,000 in cash and a vehicle were also seized. In total, the drugs have an estimated street value of more than $750,000.

“The quantity and diversity in drugs seized speaks to the scope of this operation,” explained CFSEU-Wood Buffalo’s Sgt. Kirk Peyton. “While this is a significant bust, we know there is always more work to do and will continue to target people who put our communities at risk by engaging in drug trafficking.”

ALERT is reminding Albertans to report suspicious activity in your community by contacting police or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS). CFSEU-Wood Buffalo is also reminding the public to call its gang information hotline at (780) 788-GANG to report any information that might assist the police in its crackdown on gang and organized crime.