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Photo by Ian Kucerak Kucerak, Ian / Ian Kucerak/Postmedia

“They got comfortable in their business practice and probably didn’t think the police were on to them,” he said.

ALERT, a specialized organized crime and gang investigation team, searched two vehicles and three home in Edmonton, including the Haddow neighbourhood condominium on Hanna Crescent, which was likely used as a stash site. Two other homes were searched in Rutherford and Lewis Estates.

The fentanyl pills are believed to have also come from B.C., ALERT said.

In addition to the fentanyl pills, police seized:

• 58 kilograms of marijuana

• four kilograms of packaged marijuana shatter, a crystallized and more potent form of marijuana that can be consumed through vaporization

• five grams of cocaine

• body armour

• a Taser

• 650 rounds of ammunition and a prohibited magazine

• $26,000 cash proceeds of crime

• Two vehicles, worth an estimated $35,000 were seized as offence related property.

In total, the drugs seized have an estimated value of $866,000.

One of the two vehicles seized was equipped with a hidden compartment used for transporting drugs. The vehicles and cash will be submitted to civil forfeiture, ALERT said.

ALERT began its investigation in May and alleges the accused were bringing drugs in from B.C. and distributing them in the Edmonton area. The “criminal network” had likely been operating for months, if not longer, Blais said.

The fentanyl seizure is the largest of its kind by the Edmonton ALERT team and is the agency’s third largest fentanyl seizure. ALERT’s largest was last February in Calgary, with the seizure of more than 11,500 pills.

Christopher Jervis, 28, has been charged with 10 counts of the possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a firearm contrary to an order, and possession of a prohibited magazine.

James Jervis-Hilker, 35, has been charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Billy Roche, 28, has been charged with four counts of the possession for the purpose of trafficking, and had four outstanding warrants.

oellwand@postmedia.com

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