ALERT seizes 2,000 fentanyl pills in third-largest provincial bust
Posted Jun 14, 2016 4:11 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A month-long investigation has led to the third-largest seizure of fentanyl pills in Alberta.
ALERT Edmonton’s organized crime and gang team got word of a vehicle heading back to the provincial capital from the B.C. lower mainland with a large shipment of drugs and after being located on June 3rd, several homes and vehicles were searched.
Edmonton residents, 28-year-old Christopher Jervis, 35-year-old James Jervis-Hilker and 28-year-old Billy Roche were arrested and 2,000 fentanyl pills were seized, along with marijuana shatter, dried marijuana and cocaine.
Staff Sgt. Pierre Blais said the other drugs were financing the larger fentanyl operations.
“Too many families over the last 18 months and two years have fallen victim to fentanyl and we know how deadly fentanyl is and we want to make sure that we do our part in minimizing that risk,” he explained.
Blais said those arrested had been on ALERT’S radar before and other items seized included ammunition, a taser and $26,000 in cash.
He noted there have been 274 deaths related to the deadly drug in Alberta and we are on par for the same number this year.
“A complete tragedy,” he stated. “We need to not only do enforcement on these drug dealers, but we also need to look at the other side too, of the addiction side, and making sure the fentanyl users get the resources they need to get off this.”
“We’re not going to arrest ourselves out of this problem by any means.”
