WATCH ABOVE: After a two-month investigation, Alberta’s Law Enforcement Response Team made a large seizure. Lisa Wolansky has the details.
EDMONTON — A raid on three homes in north Edmonton resulted in the seizure of a cache of drugs and weapons, including carbines, converted handguns, silencers, and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
The arsenal was seized from a group of suspected drug dealers by Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) , which in Edmonton consists of members from city police, RCMP and provincial sheriffs.
Eight guns and more than $100,000 worth of drugs was discovered during a series of raids on August 14. Two homes in the northeast and one in the northwest were searched.
Three semi-automatic rifles, including one that was modified and equipped with a silencer, were among the firearms. There was also a Glock handgun that had been illegally converted to be fully automatic and had a 50-round drum barrel. According to ALERT, a converted Glock has a fire rate of 1,200 rounds per minute.
The weapons seized included:
- KRISS Vector carbine with silencer
- Glock handgun, converted to fully automatic
- Two SKS semi-automatic rifle
- Loaded Ruger handgun with the serial number removed
- CZ 75 Tactical Series handgun
- Walther PPK handgun that had previously been reported stolen
- Browning rifle
- Two suppressors (silencer)
- Thousands of rounds of ammunition
ALERT believes the suspected dealers were supplying and trafficking drugs in northern Alberta. The estimated $100,000 worth of drugs seized included:
- 26 grams of cocaine
- Nearly 2,000 illicit prescription pills
- 30 grams of powder MDMA
- 20 grams of psilocybin
- 1,357 grams of marihuana
- 38 kilograms of a cocaine buffing agent
- Hydraulic press used for pressing cocaine
- $13,355 in cash proceeds of crime
Tyson Willier, 23, was the main target of the investigation, according to ALERT. He was charged with 39 drug and weapons-related offences. Three alleged associates were also charged: Bonita Hendricks, 20, Cleophus Houle, 42, and Vivian Korechuk, 43. ALERT started investigating at the end of June.
On June 18, a search of a different home in northeast Edmonton resulted in ALERT seizing 8.5 litres of GHB (also known as the date rape drug,) along with methamphetamine, Percocet, Valium, six firearms, ammunition and $16,100 in cash.
READ MORE: Police seize large amount of GHB, other drugs, guns, ammo and cash in Edmonton
ALERT works to tackle serious and organized crime in Alberta, and is made up of law enforcement members from Alberta Sheriffs, Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Regional Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, and RCMP.
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