A photo of items seized by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team following a recent investigation into alleged drug trafficking in Medicine Hat and Brooks - Photo courtesy ALERT

By Charles Lefebvre

Five charged in connection with alleged drug trafficking in Medicine Hat, Brooks

Nov 4, 2019 | 1:47 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team have arrested five people in Brooks and Medicine Hat in connection with an alleged drug trafficking network in southeastern Alberta.

Police seized more than $77,000 worth of drugs and cash, along with a firearm and a machete. A total of 719 grams of methamphetamine and 93 grams of cocaine were seized, with $24,685 in cash proceeds of crime also being seized.

According to a news release from ALERT, the investigation had been ongoing for three months, and concluded on October 24 after a search warrant was executed in Brooks. Police allege the drug trafficking operation was in place in both Brooks and Medicine Hat.

“That’s part of the reason I think many years ago ALERT was formed. It’s to bring coalitions of police officers together to deal with this as a regional problem because it is. So when we were able to remove this syndicate of five people out of the southeastern Alberta region, it shuts down a lot of drug traffic in more than just one community,” said Staff Sgt. Kelsey Fraser with ALERT Medicine Hat.

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Kyle Potts was arrested at the time of the search, and has been charged with 20 criminal offences, including seven counts of trafficking a controlled substance, two counts of possession of proceeds of crime, seven counts of breach of recognizance and two counts of breach of a weapons prohibitions. He has also been charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public. ALERT alleges Potts was at the centre of the drug trafficking network.

David Boyer, 33 and Daniel Morrison, 35 were also arrested during the same search. Boyer has been charged with one count each of trafficking a controlled substance, possession of proceeds of crime, and possession of a weapon dangerous to the public. Morrison faces four counts of trafficking a controlled substance and one charge of possession of proceeds of crime.

Two other arrests were made in Medicine Hat in connection with the investigation. Dallas Johnson, 27, was arrested by Medicine Hat Police on October 25, while David Kearley, 33, was arrested on October 30.

Johnson was charged with one count each of trafficking a controlled substance, possession of proceeds of crime and breach of recognizance. Kearley is charged with two counts each of trafficking a controlled substance and breach of recognizance, along with one count of possession of proceeds of crime.

“They’ve all had their bail hearings and they will be set for trial down the road. Then they will have their day in court,” Fraser added.