EDMONTON

Conservative Edmonton-Sherwood Park MP Tim Uppal said he learned through news reports that his younger brother had been charged in a dial-a-dope operation busted by Edmonton city police.

“Yesterday, I learned through the media of charges against my brother,” said Uppal, 40, Minister of State for Multiculturalism, in an email response on Wednesday.

“I have always spoken out against drugs in our communities,” added Uppal, elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and appointed Minister of State for Democratic Reform in 2011 before his current 2013 appointment.

“Anyone found guilty of such offences should face the full force of the law.”

A tip from the public led members of the Edmonton police Specialized Traffic Apprehension Team (STAT) to a large stash of weapons and drugs at three homes on the city’s south-side. On Nov. 20, officers searched a vehicle and three homes on the city’s south-side and seized a .38 special revolver and a .25 semi-automatic pistol with the serial number removed. A Taser, hatchet, cocaine press, digital scales, $12,000 cash, $26,900 worth of cocaine, 1,585 grams of buff, 16.6 grams of hashish, and 90.2 grams of marijuana worth approximately $1,350 was also seized.

Thirty criminal charges involving weapons and drugs have since been laid against four men, one of whom is Uppal’s 28-year-old brother.

Raymanpreet Singh Uppal; John Edward Saul, 27; Jared Joseph Perner, 25; and Arman Deep Singh Hanjrah, 21; were each charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking (cocaine), possession for the purpose of trafficking (marijuana), possession for the purpose of trafficking (hashish), and possession of stolen property over $5,000 (proceeds of crime). Uppal was also charged with possession of an offensive weapon dangerous to public.