Lethbridge police charge 3 people in $475K drug bust at west side home

Lethbridge police have charged three people after nearly half a million dollars’ worth of drugs and proceeds of crime were seized from a west side home.

Officers searched the home, located on Lafayette Boulevard, on March 9 following an investigation that lasted six months.

The Lethbridge Police Service seized 29 lbs. (13.2 kg) of marijuana, four lbs. (1.8 kg) of marijuana resin, four lbs. (1.8 kg) of marijuana candy, 400 bottles of liquid THC, 136 tabs of LSD and more than $121,000 in cash.

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They also seized a GMC Sierra.

The bust has taken about $475,000 worth of drugs and cash off the streets.

It’s the second major drug bust in Lethbridge in the last month. A record-breaking $1.2 million worth of drugs were seized on Feb. 11.

READ MORE: Over $1M in drugs seized in Lethbridge’s largest seizure: ALERT

Lethbridge police admit drugs are becoming a bigger problem in the city.

“It is something that should be a concern to the community,” said Kristen Harding, executive officer with the Lethbridge Police Service.

“The message we hope the community will take away from this, especially the individuals who are engaged in the drug trade, is that we will continue to target their activity in order to disrupt and dismantle their operations.”

Police say the bust is another success in stopping organized crime and drug trafficking in southern Alberta.

“This quantity of drugs, that amount of cash, that’s a win for the organization,” Harding said.

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“And we hope for the community as well, because it’s taking those drugs off the street.”

Three people found inside the west home were taken into custody.

READ MORE: Police investigation shuts down Lethbridge drug house

Police charged 35-year-old Lethbridge resident Tyler Dean Petryshyn with four counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000.

Jolene Raygen Burge, 31, of Lethbridge, was charged with four counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and one count of possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000.

Jeffrey Michael George Seniec, 30, of Lethbridge, is charged with four counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking and one count of possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000.

All three made their first court appearances on Thursday.