Police Seize $8M in Drugs and Cash in Major Edmonton Bust
Joint investigation with Winnipeg Police and Parkland RCMP nets cocaine, meth, weapons in significant disruption to trafficking networks.
Edmonton police have seized more than $8 million in cocaine, methamphetamine, and cash following a multi-jurisdictional drug trafficking investigation that stretched across provincial borders and involved some of Canada's largest criminal networks.
The bust is part of Project Puma, a two-year coordinated effort between the Edmonton Police Service, Winnipeg Police Service, and Parkland RCMP that culminated in a massive countrywide takedown announced Wednesday. The cross-country operation resulted in 33 arrests and 174 charges, with police removing 339 kilograms of methamphetamine (street value $16.9 million), 175 kilograms of cocaine ($17.5 million street value), and 11.25 kilograms of fentanyl from circulation.
Edmonton's portion of the seizure came last month when officers raided a downtown property and recovered more than 80 kilograms of drugs along with weapons and cash. "We're pleased our partners at the Winnipeg Police Service brought their large-scale investigation to a successful conclusion, and that EPS officers were able to locate and arrest a suspect in Edmonton," said Edmonton drugs and gang unit Staff Sergeant Jen McCann.
The investigation exposed how modern criminal networks operate across jurisdictions and supply chains. Drugs were imported into Canada via commercial vehicles, warehoused in Ontario and Alberta, then distributed through courier services and vehicles to Manitoba and beyond. Police also seized 12 handguns, one shotgun, one carbine, seven vehicles, roughly $825,000 in cash, and 1.35 million illegal cigarettes.
Some of those arrested were associated with larger criminal organizations including the Hell's Angels, the Wolfpack Alliance gang, and Mexican cartels. Inspector Josh Ewatski from Winnipeg Police's organized crime division noted: "Criminal networks no longer operate within silos. They collaborate with rivals, operate across jurisdictions, adapt quickly and rely on complex supply chains." Seven people have already pleaded guilty with sentences ranging from three to 16 years, though most charges remain before the courts. The scale of the bust underscores how seriously law enforcement now takes interprovincial coordination—no single agency can tackle trafficking alone.