Drugs seized (photo courtesy of ALERT)

By Chantal Wagner/Charles Lefebvre

Three arrested from Medicine Hat

Over $30K worth of drugs seized in Medicine Hat by ALERT

Jan 29, 2020 | 10:20 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Three Medicine Hat residents are facing multiple drug charges after more than $30,000 worth of drugs was seized following a two month investigation by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team.

Arrests were made January 10 and 24 in Medicine Hat by the Medicine Hat organized crime team. Police are alleging the three accused were part of a network transporting drugs from Calgary to be distributed in southeastern Alberta.

“ALERT Medicine Hat is working in the southeastern quadrant of the province, that’s our responsibility,” said Staff Sergeant Kelsey Fraser with the Medicine Hat Police Service. “We don’t just stick to Medicine Hat. Files originate here sometimes, but sometimes they originate in Oyen, or Brooks or Tilley. We go where the files are. This file led us from Medicine Hat, to Brooks and to Calgary, and then back to Medicine Hat.”

During the investigation, police seized 56 grams of fentanyl powder, 279 grams of methamphetamine and 21 grams of cocaine.

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Wayne Shrubsall, 47, has been charged with three counts of trafficking a controlled substance, and five counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. He remains in custody.

Shrubsall has been arrested on multiple drug trafficking charges by ALERT in 2014, 2015 and 2016, and was on parole from a previous ALERT investigation at the time of the arrest, according to a release from ALERT.

“He was on parole at the time of these new offences, and he’s now back in jail,” said Fraser. “Reducing the recidivism of drug trafficking is one of our goals too, and if you’re going to get out after getting that opportunity to be freed from jail and resume that behaviour, we’re going to come back after you, and lay the charges and put you in back in.”

Nancy Fehr, 32 and Crystal Spence, 33, were each charged with multiple counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. The pair, who were previously known to police, were released with conditions.

Fraser says so far this year, police in Medicine Hat have seized over one kilogram of methamphetamine.

Shrubsall and Spence are both scheduled to appear in Medicine Hat Provincial Court Thursday morning. Fehr is scheduled to appear in court on February 6.