Editor’s note: This article has been updated to reflect updated dollar values of the drugs with new estimates by the Edmonton Police Service.
Four people have been charged after a lengthy investigation by Edmonton police related to drug trafficking.
The Edmonton Drug and Gang Section started the investigation in February.
On June 20, members of the drug and gang section executed search warrants at three locations in southeast and southwest Edmonton, which included three vehicles – two with hidden compartments, police said.
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Police said they found more three kilograms of methamphetamine and one kilogram of cocaine in one of the hidden compartments.
Staff Sgt. Guy Pilon with the Edmonton Police Service said the hidden vehicle compartments were very sophisticated.
“They are commercially, illegally manufactured, which articulate with a series of micro-switches and hydraulic pistons to open and close. When they’re open they can access the drugs, the cash, the weapons. When they’re closed they don’t look like there’s anything there, they hide it very well,” Pilon explained.
Watch below: In January 2017, Edmonton police demonstrated to Global News the intricate steps taken to open a hidden compartment inside a truck’s centre console.
Police seized more than $500,000 in drugs in total, which included 2,968 fentanyl pills that have a street value of $118,720.
“Unfortunately, we’re seeing more and more fentanyl on the street and the number of opioid poisonings is increasing,” Pilon said.
“That’s fentanyl that’s not getting on the street to be misused.”
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The seizure included 1.4 kilograms of cocaine, with a street value of $143,800; 122 grams of cocaine base worth $12,000 on the street; and 4.1 kilograms of methamphetamine with a street value of between $87,000 and $192,000.
Nearly 12 litres of GHB with a street value of $9,440 was also seized, along with 11 kilograms of phenacetin – a cutting agent for cocaine – worth $33,000.
“It appears to be a fairly well organized group that are distributing drugs throughout Edmonton,” Pilon said.
“It talks about the level of distribution and the amount of money they’re putting in to conceal their drugs, weapons and cash.”
Police said $70,575 in cash was also seized during the search warrants, as well as three stolen firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
“Drug trafficking is a dangerous operation and drug traffickers will often arm themselves with weapons in order to protect their cash, their drugs or themselves,” Pilon said.
Pilon described the overall investigation and seizure as significant.
“Number one, we’re getting the drugs off the street and more significantly, the three firearms that are here are off the street.”
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Victor Tu, 30, Roseanne Rivera, 30, Minh Trung Tran, 39, and Stacy Liew, 32, have been charged with dozens of offences related to the investigation.
Pilon said police are not looking for anyone else related to this investigation.
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