CALGARY, Alberta, May 6 (UPI) -- A joint investigation between Canadian law enforcement and a local prison found that methamphetamine-laced Christmas cards were being sent to inmates.

Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team released a statement saying that two people were suspected of mailing the cards, which contained traces of liquid methamphetamine, to inmates at Medicine Hat Remand Centre.


The cards were confiscated by staff before reaching any inmates and tested positive for meth. ALERT was then able to identify suspects Ryan Horb, 32, and Justin Yaholnitsky, 25, who were charged with trafficking methamphetamine.

"A great deal of sophistication was employed in a case like this, and I have to credit the investigative team for their tenacity in pursuing these drug dealers," Sgt. Jason Graham said.

Graham also told the Calgary Sun that inmates would have been able to extract the liquid meth from the cards, which featured children's cartoon characters such as SpongeBob SquarePants and the Grinch.

"It's becoming more and more of a problem," Graham said.