By Charles Lefebvre

Pair charged after nearly $78,000 worth of drugs seized

Sep 7, 2018 | 11:43 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB — Two people from Medicine Hat are facing 13 charges following an investigation from the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team that resulted in the seizure of more than $77,000 worth of drugs.

Nicolas Belanger, a 29-year-old man, and Devan Koehle, a 19-year-old woman, were both arrested on Thursday following a brief investigation into alleged drug trafficking by ALERT that began in August.

“It is the most significant seizure this year,” said Staff Sgt. Cory Both with the Medicine Hat Police Service’s organized crime unit. “It’s significant for a variety of reasons. The quantity is very large, the amount of drugs are quite diverse, and also fentanyl and methamphetamine were included, which are out two primary community harm risks.”

Officers seized 713 grams of methamphetamine, 247 grams of cocaine and 35 grams of fentanyl powder. The drugs have an estimated street value of $77,980.

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“It’s the second largest seizure of methamphetamine in Medicine Hat’s history,” said Both, noting the largest seizure happened in December 2017, where 1.5 kilograms was seized following a traffic stop.

On Thursday, officers executed a search warrant at a storage locked in the Brier Industrial Estates area, where methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl powder and buffing agent were seized.

Later that day, two individuals allegedly associated with the locker were located at a hotel on 13th Avenue Southeast, and arrested by police. Investigators seized $20,000 in cash proceeds of crime, along with additional methamphetamine, cocaine and buffing agent.

Both adds the organized crime unit remains committed to taking drugs and dealers off Medicine Hat streets.

“We’re going to remain diligent, we’ve got a whole queue of dealers to go after,” he said. “We’re going to focus primarily on the meth and opioid dealers because they’re the worst of the worst, and we’re working in the organized crime section with the best of the best. We’re going to continue to keep the pressure on them.”

Belanger and Koehle have each been charged with five counts of possession of a controlled substance for purposes of trafficking, and one count of possession of proceeds of crime. Belanger received an addition charge of possession of a controlled substance.

The pair remain in custody, awaiting a bail hearing.