Straw buyers were involved in two recent busts in northern Alberta that took illegal guns off the streets, ALERT says.

An investigation by ALERT Edmonton's guns and gangs unit resulted in several firearms charges against a 23-year-old Athabasca man, ALERT said Wednesday in a news release.

The man, who was arrested on May 9, bought five handguns between November and December last year and resold them. Only one gun has been recovered, the news release said.

Straw buyers are typically people with valid possession and acquisition licences who purchase firearms for someone who otherwise could not, police say.

In a search of the accused's Athabasca home, police seized four other firearms, including a prohibited sawed-off shotgun.

ALERT's investigation began in December 2018 after the RCMP's national weapons enforcement team provided information about suspicious purchases.

The accused has been charged with firearms trafficking, possession of firearms for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a prohibited firearm, and firearm possession at an unauthorized place.

Members with ALERT’s Grande Prairie organized crime team seized weapons, drugs and cash during a recent investigation. (ALERT)

In another recent bust, an ALERT team in Grande Prairie intercepted a suspected transaction between a firearms trafficker and a drug dealer.

On May 13, three suspects were arrested in the parking lot of a Grande Prairie shopping centre, ALERT said Tuesday in a separate news release.

While making the arrests, ALERT searched two vehicles and seized:

four handguns;

a rifle;

ammunition and magazines;

body armour;

810 grams of suspected cocaine and;

$5,665 cash proceeds of crime.

ALERT said a 49-year-old woman acted as a firearms straw buyer and diverted handguns to the criminal market. The woman bought 15 handguns since April 2019, which were then allegedly resold, police said.

The woman has been charged with firearms trafficking, possession of a firearm for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of property obtained by crime.

A 23-year-old High Prairie man who police said was a suspected a drug trafficker bought three of the guns, ALERT said. The three handguns were recovered, along with another loaded handgun.

The man faces several charges, including possession of a firearm for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a firearm in a vehicle, possession of a loaded restricted firearm, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime.

Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams were established and funded by the provincial government. The teams are made up of police officers from Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat and the RCMP.