Over 234 grams of cocaine seized in Saddle Lake bust: “It is becoming all too common”

The seized items from the bust, which media got to view on Friday. Three people were remanded, one of them a youth. 

A large quantity of drugs, including 234 grams of cocaine, have been taken off the streets in St. Paul and Saddle Lake, as police organized a large drug bust on Nov. 1.

Plenty of police resources, including RCMP Eastern Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit (CRU), Eastern Alberta District General Investigative Services (GIS), St. Paul RCMP, “K” Division Emergency Response Team (ERT), and RCMP Police Dog Services (PDS), all collaborated on executing a search warrant in Saddle Lake. 

Three firearms were seized, one of which had a prohibited capacity magazine, as well as hundreds of prescription drugs, and the cocaine. 

Several individuals were arrested, including two who fled from police and were successfully tracked by ERT and PDS members. Three suspects have been charged, including one youth who cannot be named.

Payton Crane, 19, a resident of Saddle Lake is charged with:

• possession for the purpose of trafficking – schedule 1: cocaine
• possession for the purpose of trafficking – schedule 1: other
• unauthorized possession of a firearm
• resists/obstruct peace officer

Marcus Cardinal, 26, a resident of Saddle Lake is charged with:

• possession for the purpose of trafficking – schedule 1: cocaine
• possession for the purpose of trafficking – schedule 1: other
• resists/obstruct peace officer

• weapons possession contrary to order and fail to surrender authorization (x6)

All three charged individuals were held for a judicial hearing and remanded into custody.

S/Sgt Silliker invites press for questions

St. Paul staff sergeant Dennis Silliker invited media members on Friday afternoon to ask questions about the seizure. It was anticipated that Saddle Lake Cree Nation chief John Whiskeyjack would be on hand as well, but he cancelled.

“It is becoming all too common,” Silliker said about the prevalence of these large scale drug busts.

“That’s why it’s absolutely critical that we work with our stakeholders and our community partners to be able to report this crime as it’s occurring.”

Especially because of the spinoff to other crimes caused by addiction. The data is showing this translates into issues such as property crimes, mental health problems, and other inter-personal crimes.

Major “superlabs” were much in vogue this past week, with the news of massive fentanyl production schemes in Falkland, BC, and Valleyview, Alberta, taking headlines this week.

In November 2023, two significant seizures of meth, cocaine, as well as other prohibited drugs, saw a total of 570 grams taken into police custody from this area.

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