Four people were arrested and charged with drug trafficking-related offences after police seized hundreds of fentanyl pills and other drugs from two Grande Prairie apartments earlier this month.
On May 2, members of the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams’ (ALERT) organized crime and gang team searched apartments in the Smith and Southview neighbourhoods.
Officers seized 327 fentanyl pills, 26.7 grams of crack cocaine, four grams of crystal meth, 18 grams of marijuana and more than $4,400 in cash.
READ MORE: Fentanyl overdoses killed hundreds of Canadians in 2016, experts say 2017 could be deadlier
Staff Sgt. Pamela Robinson said considering the dangers of fentanyl, this is a significant seizure.
“Three-hundred twenty-seven pills being seized in one location, knowing that any one pill can pose a serious health risk to any individual contributes to the significance of this,” she said.
“It’s important to be proactive in disrupting and dismantling these criminal enterprises. It creates a component for education and awareness, and we can let communities know about the dangers associated to illegal street drug use.”
READ MORE: Fentanyl 101: The facts and dangers
Youssouf Hassan, 59, and Sara Desjarlais, 25, are charged with two counts each of possession for the purpose of trafficking, two counts each of possession of a controlled substance and possession of proceeds of crime.
Lemesa Rare, 55, is charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a controlled substance and possession of proceeds of crime.
Mulugata Mekonen, 46, is charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of a controlled substance.
ALERT’s investigation began in early 2017.