6 people charged, hidden compartment found in Edmonton drug-trafficking investigation

Edmonton Police Service’s Drug and Gang Section has laid drug and firearm-related charges against six people after a trafficking investigation that started in July.

Investigators started by looking into a suspected drug-trafficking network controlled by an Edmonton man. As they dug deeper, several other suspects and four addresses were identified as being part of the operation.

On Oct. 19, Edmonton police executed search warrants at four addresses in the Baranow, McConachie, Newton and Garneau neighbourhoods.

Police seized:

• 700 grams of cocaine hydrochloride (street value $70,000)
• 124 grams of cocaine base/crack cocaine (street value $14,820)
• 30 grams of fentanyl (street value $9,000)
• 10 kilograms of buffing agent (street value $40,000)
• drug-making and packaging paraphernalia
• Canadian currency ($159,570)

Three vehicles were also seized by police, including a 2014 Dodge Ram in which officers found “a sophisticated electronic hidden compartment.”

Edmonton police said they also seized a shotgun and handgun with defaced serial numbers, a sawed-off shotgun, a rifle and 85 rounds of ammunition.

Shaun Kociancic, 26, is charged with three counts of trafficking of a controlled substance and one count each of possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000 and unlawfully selling drugs.

Manmadh Musini, 29, is charged with two counts of trafficking of a controlled substance, two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, one count of possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000 and 23 firearm-related offences.

Erika O’Campo, 23, is charged with three counts of trafficking of a controlled substance.

Thomas Lam, 23 is charged with trafficking of a controlled substance and two breaches of recognizance.

Cole Herring, 23, and Brannan Van Wyk, 29, are each charged with two counts of trafficking of a controlled substance.

Charges are pending against one other individual, police said.