MHPS HANDOUT PHOTO
Police seized more than $42,000 worth of cash and drugs on Monday, July 22, 2019 following a four-month investigation. Theresa Babitzke, already to be sentenced on July 25 for her role in a forcible confinement case, was arrested in the drug investigation.
jappel@medicinehatnews.com@MHNJeremyAppel A woman arrested after a four-month long ALERT investigation resulted in the biggest fentanyl seizure in the Medicine Hat area’s history is scheduled to be sentenced today for her role in a forcible confinement incident.
Theresa Babitzke, 54, was arrested Monday and charged with three counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking – one each for fentanyl, methampheamine and cocaine – one of possessing the proceeds of crime and three breaches of recognizance.
“She’s definitely dealing with a couple things in court tomorrow, that’s for sure,” says ALERT Medicine Hat Staff-Sgt. Cory Both.
With the assistance of the Medicine Hat Police Service, ALERT executed search warrants on a vehicle and property in the city, finding between them 196 grams of meth, 67 grams of fentanyl, 48 grams of cocaine and $5,680 cash proceeds of crime.
Both told the News this is confirmed to be the single largest fentanyl seizure in southeastern Alberta history.
“You don’t seize heroin and fentanyl or opioids in the quantities you do meth or cocaine, because the dosages are so much smaller,” he explained.
Babitzke is well-known to police due to her long-time involvement in the drug trafficking scene, Both says.
In October 2018, Babitzke was arrested with her son and another co-accused after a woman was tied to a chair in a home in the city’s southeast area, robbed, beaten with a pipe and extorted.
Police said at the time they believe the incident was drug-fuelled.
“Since that time, she’s been on bail conditions, we’ve kept an eye on her, and we gathered information from various sources. Once that information accumulates to a point where we need to take action, we target and arrest her at an opportune time based on the collection of intelligence that we have,” said Both.
In relation to that incident last year, Babitzke pled guilty to unlawful confinement and possessing meth for the purposes of trafficking.
Babitzke was without a lawyer at her previous court appearance, so it’s unclear whether her sentencing will proceed today.
“Certainly, if she adjourns her sentencing, the new charges will help the Crown seek her detainment,” Both said.
