MHPS HANDOUT PHOTO Police seized about $68,300 worth of cash and drugs Sunday, including what's believed to be the largest carfentanil seizure in Medicine Hat history.
jappel@medicinehatnews.com@MHNJeremyAppel
Cops have made what is expected to be the largest carfentanil bust in Medicine Hat history.
“Carfentanil is used in professional circles to tranquilize large animals, like elephants, so human consumption of that type of drug is extremely dangerous,” Staff Sgt. Kelsey Fraser of ALERT Medicine Hat told the News.
ALERT arrested two people Sunday during a traffic stop between Redcliff and the city – the conclusion of a two-month investigation into an alleged drug trafficking ring with ties to Calgary.
Police seized from the vehicle $68,300 worth of cash and drugs, including 96 grams of suspected carfentanil, 532 grams of methamphetamine, 57 grams of cocaine, 211 grams of cocaine buffing agent and $1,325 cash that is alleged to be the proceeds of crime, as well as a replica handgun.
“This is not the first time in which we have seized suspected carfentanil in Medicine Hat, but this is the most significant amount we have seized to date,” said Fraser.
He says one of the suspects told arresting officers he was trafficking carfentanil.
“We believe that the seizure we have is carfentanil, but we have to wait for Health Canada to confirm the drug analysis on. We can’t say 100 per cent this is true carfentanil, but everything in the investigation shows that he was dealing carfentanil,” Fraser clarified.
Ryan Porter, 44, of Calgary faces a total of 22 charges, including trafficking a controlled substance, possessing a controlled substance for the purposes of trafficking and possessing the proceeds of crime, as well as breaches of a weapons prohibition and recognizance.
Tristan Skappak, 29, who has no fixed address, was charged with three counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking.
A warrant is also being sought for the arrest of a 36-year-old woman, who cannot be identified until the charges against her are sworn.
Fraser said this third suspect was a “minor player” that came to police’s attention throughout the course of their initial investigation into Porter.
“As we do those files, it’s very common for tertiary or fringe players to come in and out of the file,” he said. “The third person we have to arrest is just that type of person. She showed up for a short period of time, got involved in the criminal activity and now are gone.”
