Massive Drug Raid in Edmonton Seizes $1M in Fentanyl, Meth, Cocaine, Heroin

An Edmonton Police Service shoulder badge is shown in Edmonton on Aug 1, 2023. The Canadian Press/Jason Franson

In one of the largest drug busts in Edmonton’s history, police have seized over $1 million worth of fentanyl, meth, cocaine, and heroin, following a months-long investigation into inter-provincial trafficking.

On May 9, Edmonton Police executed search warrants at three homes and four vehicles, leading to the seizure of drugs, firearms, and cash. One drug stash was found in a central Edmonton high-rise apartment, according to a Sept. 12 press release.

Over 66 kilograms of hard drugs were seized, including methamphetamine valued at $250,650, cocaine worth $696,000, fentanyl at $300,000, and heroin valued at $28,400. Authorities also found 20 kilograms of buffing agent, which is used to dilute narcotics for sale.

Edmonton Police Service (EPS) hailed the operation as one of the largest drug seizures in the city’s history.

“This investigation is believed to be one of the largest, if not the largest, seizure of controlled substances in EPS history,” Staff Sergeant David Paton, with the Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement Section, said in the press release.

“Intercepting this huge volume of extremely harmful street drugs before they wreak havoc in our city is a rewarding outcome for our investigators, who have worked tirelessly for months on this operation.”

The largest drug seizure in Edmonton at a single location occurred in October 2023, when the EPS confiscated 40.5 kilograms of cocaine during a traffic stop, according to ALERT, the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams.

During the recent seizure, police also confiscated five handguns, three of which were loaded at the time they were seized. Police said two of the firearms had defaced serial numbers. One of the handguns originated from the United States while the other two were stolen in Saskatchewan and Alberta.

EPS officers also seized four vehicles with hidden compartments. Along with the drugs and firearms, they found about $20,000 in currency.

Police said three male suspects were involved in the inter-provincial drug trafficking, moving drugs into and out of Alberta and distributing them in Edmonton, including the inner-city.

The suspects have been charged with drug and firearm offences. Jesse Koble, 29, faces 27 charges, Mitchell Steeg, 31, nine charges, and Steven Santillana, 34, two charges.

In July, the Alberta government reported that opioid-related deaths in the province had dropped to their lowest level in four years. While Edmonton still has one of the highest numbers of opioid deaths among municipalities, the death rate there is also declining.

In a separate report on Sept. 12, EPS noted progress in reducing gun violence. August marked the fifth month in a row with a decrease in gun violence, with 72 percent fewer shootings than in August 2023. The number of shootings for the year as of Aug. 31 is also 44 percent lower than for the same period in 2023.

Edmonton police seized 67 firearms in August and 538 so far this year. At the same point last year, 679 firearms had been seized, according to the Sept. 12 report.

Chandra Philip contributed to this report.