Four Edmonton children are in the care of Alberta’s Ministry of Children’s Services after police found them on Nov. 17 living in an alleged drug trafficking house in the inner city neighbourhood of McCauley, with drugs and loaded guns along with other weapons and ammunition accessible.
A 49-year-old man has been charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, careless use of a firearm, careless storage of a firearm, possession of a prohibited weapon, and possession of stolen property (proceeds of crime) over $5,000.
A 45-year-old woman who lived at the residence also faces charges in relation to the drug bust.
Police found about $112,000 in cash, of which over $11,000 was in coins, and various “edged weapons” and brass knuckles. Also seized were small quantities of fentanyl, methamphetamine, and cocaine with an approximate street value of $3,400.
In addition, police said 11 firearms were in the house, including a loaded lever action rifle and a loaded 12-gauge shotgun, along with hundreds of rounds of rife and handgun ammunition.
Police said both the firearms and the drugs were easily accessible to the children living in the residence while the alleged trafficking occurred. The children are reportedly aged 9 to 16.
“It’s quite common, unfortunately, whenever we come across children in this type of situation, and not all of the time are they seized necessarily. In some occasions, if we’re able to find stable family members who can assist and have them moved into a safer environment, we try to do that,” Paton said.
Both individuals have been charged with endangering a child under the Drug Endangered Child Act, abandoning or endangering a child under 10, and causing a child to be in need of intervention under the Child, Youth & Family Enhancement Act. Police are not naming the accused in order to protect the privacy of the children.
Police started investigating in July based on tips that the house in the McCauley neighbourhood, just northeast of Edmonton’s downtown core, was being frequented by the downtown homeless population.
The bust involved the Alberta Sheriff’s Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) Unit, the EPS Drug and Gang Enforcement (EDGE) Section, the EPS Downtown Branch Patrol, and the EPS Tactical Unit.
“A lot of our downtown homeless people were observed at that location regularly. I think the members themselves were quite taken by the number of people that were frequenting this location,” said Paton.
