Guns, drugs and cash seized in Edmonton raids

Investigative work has paid off for members of the EPS EDGE (Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement)Unit.

In one file police received intelligence that an organized crime group was using a Southside apartment complex as a place to store and distribute drugs. In the suite they discovered: a Tech 9 fully automatic assault rifle; a loaded 40 round clip, sawed off shot gun; a shuriken (better known as throwing star); a small quantity of crack cocaine; and $1,100 in cash.

“Although the amount of drugs located was minimal, the weapons located clearly display the level of violence associated with organized crime and the drug trade in Edmonton,” says Acting Staff Sgt. Dwayne Lakusta.

Curtis Henry Browne, 25, has been charged with careless storage of firearm X 2, unauthorized possession of a firearm X 2, knowingly possess while unauthorized X 2, possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition, possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, proceeds of crime, possession of prohibited weapon (throwing star) and possession of a prohibited device (assault rifle over-sized magazine).

In another case two vehicle stops were conducted by members of the EDGE unit after officers observed an alledged drug transaction taking place in downtown Edmonton. This resulted in the seizure of a kilogram of cocaine in the first vehicle. A second kilogram of cocaine was found in the other vehicle within a hidden compartment, along with one ounce of cocaine broken into smaller packages. The cocaine has a street value of $90,000 when sold at the kilo level. However, if broken down for street level sales it would have a potential value of over $300,000.

A search warrant was then conducted on the suspect residence where 571 grams of cutting agent, 12 grams of soft cocaine, six grams of crack cocaine and approximately $8000 in cash was also located.

Jia Sheng Liu, 21, and Thomas Vuong, 23, are facing a number of drug related charges.