On July 12, 2019, the Vegreville RCMP with assistance of the Tofield and Viking Detachments, Eastern Alberta District Rural Crime Reduction Unit, Police Dog Services and Edmonton ALERT executed simultaneous search warrants on two residences in the Town of Vegreville. A short time later, a third search warrant was executed on a vehicle.
In total, seven persons were arrested and charged with a number of drug, weapons and other offences. A total of 70 grams of methamphetamine, 155 grams of marihuana, heroin, cocaine, drug trafficking paraphernalia and numerous edged weapons were seized.
The following persons have been charged:
- A 36-year-old male of Vegreville was charged with 28 offences some of which include, trafficking in controlled substances, weapon/firearm prohibitions, breach of court orders
- A 63-year-old male of Vegreville was charged with trafficking in controlled substance (x2) and possession or property obtained by crime (x2)
- A 33-year-old male of Vegreville was charged with trafficking in controlled substance (x2), breaching court orders (x2) and a weapons offence
- A 31-year-old female of Vegreville was charged with trafficking in controlled substances (x2) and possession of property obtained by crime (x2)
- Another 31-year-old female of Vegreville was charged with trafficking in controlled substance (x4) and eight other offences
- A 49-year-old male of Snow Lake, Manitoba was charged with obstruction (x2). At the time of his arrest he was also wanted on outstanding warrants out of Vegreville, Edmonton and Hinton
- Another 63-year-old male of Vegreville was charged with six offences which included: trafficking in controlled substances, possession of property obtained by crime and breaching court orders
The accused appeared in Vegreville provincial court on Monday July 15, 2019.
"This investigation was over a six-month period, and through the diligence of investigators efforts were made to disrupt the illicit drug trade along with reducing crimes that are common within the subculture," says Corporal Leigh Drinkwater, Vegreville Detachment. "This investigation will certainly serve to reduce a number of crimes in the Town of Vegreville and surrounding areas."