In the early hours of May 4, a collaborative effort between the Eastern Alberta District (EAD) Crime Reduction Unit (CRU), the Alberta RCMP Emergency Response Team, the EAD General Investigation Section, St. Paul RCMP, and Saddle Lake RCMP culminated in the execution of a search warrant in the rural area of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. The operation was part of an ongoing investigation targeting illicit drug trafficking activities in the region.
During the search warrant’s execution, law enforcement officers seized a substantial quantity of illicit substances and related paraphernalia. Among the items confiscated were approximately 300 grams of suspected cocaine, 80 grams of suspected methamphetamine, prescription medications, $8,000 in cash, a cash counter, scales, and Tannerite explosives.
As a result of the investigation, Tyson Willard Hunter, 51, a resident of St. Paul, was apprehended and charged with multiple offences, including three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000, two counts of possession of a weapon contrary to order, and three counts of failure to comply with a release order.
Following his arrest, Hunter was brought before a Justice of the Peace and remanded into custody pending further legal proceedings. He is scheduled to appear on May 23 at the Alberta Court of Justice in St. Paul.
Sergeant Mike Dunsmore, NCO I/C EAD CRU, commended the collaborative effort of various RCMP units and detachments in addressing criminal activities that threaten community safety. “This investigation is an excellent example of how your Alberta RCMP, through its various units and detachments, can work together towards making your communities safer,” Sgt. Dunsmore stated. “We would also like to thank the community for expressing their concerns about this residence and we encourage others to come forth with information about possible criminality so we can better help address your concerns.”