Province-wide RCMP investigation disrupts cocaine trafficking with 2 arrests, 17 charges laid

(Photo: RCMP)

Two men are in custody and a long list of illicit drugs have been seized following a trafficking investigation involving RCMP across Saskatchewan.

The operation began earlier this year when Saskatchewan Enforcement Response Team (SERT) units in southern Saskatchewan began investigating cocaine trafficking in Saskatoon.

On June 27, police executed two search warrants at homes in Saskatoon and Martensville.

The searches uncovered 310 grams of cocaine, 170 grams of psilocybin (magic mushrooms), 41 grams of MDMA, more than 17,000 illegal cigarettes, a handgun and a loaded clip, drug trafficking paraphernalia, and a large sum of cash.

A 36-year-old Martensville man and a 38-year-old Saskatoon man face eight and nine charges respectfully.

They include firearm and trafficking counts in addition to unstamped tobacco charges.

Both of the accused appeared in provincial court in Saskatoon on Friday.

Officers from Moose Jaw, Swift Current and Yorkton collaborated on the ongoing investigation.

“These are highly specialized teams that target specific types of criminal activity within the province,” SERT’s south Saskatchewan manager S/Sgt. Danny Donison said in the news release.

“This is a significant seizure, one that highlights SERT’s commitment to public safety through an intelligence-led approach in combatting serious crime within our communities.”