9 ‘significant’ drug seizures made during traffic stops over 5-month period: RCMP

Traffic stops over a five-month period in central Alberta led to RCMP seizing massive amounts of cocaine, fentanyl, MDMA and GHB, RCMP announced on Thursday.

Between July and November, RCMP Traffic Services executed the traffic stops in the areas of Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise and Stony Plain.

Police said the vehicles were stopped for various offences and the officers noted indicators of drug trafficking.

Over the five months, police seized 11 kilograms of cocaine, 1.675 kilograms of fentanyl, 30 grams of meth, two kilograms of MDMA, 90.5 pounds of illegal cannabis and 250 litres of GHB.

“These drug seizures are evidence that traffickers can be caught — our officers are skilled, professional members trained in the detection of illicit commodities which includes drug trafficking,” Supt. Gary Graham with the Alberta RCMP Traffic Services said in a release.”

According to police, the drugs seized equate to about 33,000 average cocaine doses, 16,800 average fentanyl doses, 300 average methamphetamine doses, 10,000 average MDMA doses, 50,000 GHB doses and over 123,000 average-size joints.

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“The increased presence of illicit synthetic opioids poses a grave threat to Albertans,” Graham said. “Traffic enforcement, because of its very nature, plays a key role in identifying and disrupting organized criminal groups fueling this public health epidemic.”

On top of the drugs, police also seized over $37,500 in Canadian currency and one .32 caliber pistol.

Police didn’t mention any charges in the news release issued Thursday morning.