Two Albertans and one Mexican arrested for cocaine smuggling
Purest form of cocaine seized – drugs tied to organized crime in Mexico
16 kilos of cocaine seized during cross border drug investigation
Two men from southern Alberta and one man from Mexico are accused of cocaine smuggling after a 15-month long investigation led by the Rocky Mountain Integrated Border Enforcement Team.
31-year old Abram Klassen of Taber and 35-year old Jacob Dyck of Coaldale were arrested on June 26 and are charged with importing cocaine, possessing cocaine for the purposes of trafficking and conspiracy to import cocaine.
The third man, Isaak Banman of Chihuahua, Mexico is facing the same charges as Klassen and Dyck, but Banman is currently before the courts in London, Ontario on related charges.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Banman on these recent charges.
On July 27, 2011, ten kilograms of cocaine was seized at Great Falls, Montana. On March 22, 2012, six kilograms of cocaine were seized by Canada Border Services Agents at the border crossing at Coutts, Alta.
During the 15-month investigation investigators from the RCMP, Canada Border Services Agency, United States Border Patrol, US Homeland Security Investigations, as well as United States Customs and Border Protection all worked together. In this particular investigation, Taber police as well at the DEA were also involved.
These IBET investigators are authorized to enforce the law on both sides of the border. On this investigation, the team worked from the U.S./Mexico border, through the United States and into Canada.
“The success of this project is directly linked to the cooperation of the involved agencies. It clearly demonstrates how working together can protect the safety of citizens on both sides of the Canada/US border. A secure and efficient border is vital to our economy, our sovereignty, and to the safety and security of our citizens,” said RCMP Staff Sergeant Gord Sage, who was in charge of the investigation.
The investigation into this matter is continuing and anyone with information on the drug smuggling operation is asked to contact their local police or Crime Stoppers at 1 800 222 8477.
Category: Canada
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