Three people were arrested in Chestermere on Aug. 4 in an Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) drug investigation spanning from Calgary to Medicine Hat.
Chestermere RCMP assisted ALERT with the arrests of Jamie Copeland, 34, of Calgary Nabilla Zemarak, 21, of Edmonton and Christie Graham, 31, of Toronto. Two other suspects, Alan Dressel, 40, and Brent Heath, 28, both of Medicine Hat where arrested in Medicine Hat.
Nearly $80,000 worth of assorted drugs and a handgun were seized in the investigation. Chestermere RCMP Detachment Commander Staff Sgt. Mark Wielgosz couldn’t say if any of the seized items where discovered in the course of the arrests in Chestermere. Zemarak, Graham and Copeland are scheduled to appear in a Strathmore court on August 16.
None of the suspects have any known connections to Chestermere and follow up inquiries were made after the arrests. Wielgosz stated that it is common for individuals from across the province to schedule meets in smaller centres adjacent bigger cities such as Calgary.
“That’s not to say that this is a common place that criminals may meet,” he said.
Wielgosz said that property crimes are the leading crimes in the city. There is still a bit of persistent problem of drug use and possession as in any community.
“As far as large scale type issues and problems, I can tell you that’s not something that’s a big problem here in Chestermere,” said Wielgosz.
