Police arrest 10 in cocaine busts in southern Manitoba

WINKLER, Man. — Police in two small southern Manitoba cities feel they’ve made a dent in the growing drug trade.

Officers in Morden and Winkler have arrested 10 people in Project Denver, a long-term investigation targeting the trafficking of cocaine in the southern Manitoba communities.

Combined they are facing nearly 50 charges, many relating to drug trafficking.

“As a community grows so does some of its problems unfortunately,” said Chief Rick Hiebert with the Winkler Police Service

Officers executed four search warrants on Tuesday. In all more than 60 police officers from Morden, Winkler and the RCMP in Winnipeg were involved in the raids.

The 10 people arrested and the charges they face are:

Ruben John Reimer, 32, of Morden

• Trafficking a controlled substance (cocaine)

David James Richard Hills, 22, of Morden

• Trafficking a controlled substance (cocaine)
• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for the purpose of trafficking
• 10 counts of breaching an undertaking

Brian Hodgson, 21, of Morden

• Trafficking a controlled substance (cocaine)
• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for the purpose of trafficking
• Five counts of breaching an undertaking

Ernest Buhler, 26, of Rosengart

• Three counts of trafficking a controlled substance (cocaine)
• Three counts of breaching an undertaking

Robert Brian Neufeld, 32, of Morden

• Two counts of trafficking a controlled substance (cocaine)

Brett Ashton Krashel, 22, of Carnduff, Sask.

• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
• Two counts of breaching probation
• Two counts of breaching an undertaking

Chadwin Ross Klyne, 32, of Winkler

• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of the proceeds of crime (cash)

Peter Loewen Penner, 20, of Winkler

• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of the proceeds of crime

Shyla Tyne Lazarenko, 18, of Winnipeg

• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking
• Possession of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for the purpose of trafficking

The following person remains at large and is being sought by investigators:

Heinrich Wiebe, 27, of Winkler, is being sought by investigators. He faces two counts of trafficking cocaine.