Search warrant seizure of 130 grams of meth lands charges on Saddle Lake man

After a five month long investigation, St. Paul RCMP arrested one person and seized 130 grams of meth and over 50 grams of cocaine in a March bust.

Police released more information about a drug trafficking case in Saddle Lake Cree Nation on Thursday afternoon, with St. Paul RCMP Sgt. Dennis Silliker wanting to get out more details in a media availability.

The original report came to Mounties in October 2024 as a result of a previous arrest, Sgt. Silliker told media.

Together, with RCMP Emergency Response Team, RCMP Police Dog Services and RCMP Eastern Alberta District Crime Reduction Unit, St. Paul RCMP executed the search warrant on March 19, 2025. 

The arrest of Darin Riel Moses, 44, of Saddle Lake, also elicited:

• 130 grams of methamphetamines;
• 52 grams of cocaine;
• Over $2000 in Canadian currency;
• Counterfeit Canadian currency;
• A handgun;
• 3 rifles;
• Ammunition;
• 2 Crossbows; and
• Assorted weapons such as knives, nunchucks, bass knuckles, batons and swords.

“There is a trend,” said Sgt. Silliker when asked about drug trafficking investigations in the area. The prevalence of hard drugs proliferated in the Lakeland area is not going down.

“We know that drug abuse contributes to so many different areas and so many social problems. We’re seeing that now with an increase in  mental health incidents and an increase property crime.

“I am encouraged that the cooperation between our detachments in Eastern Alberta district has been something I haven’t seen previously in other commands.”

Moses was brought before a justice of the peace and remanded into custody. He is to appear at the Alberta Court of Justice in St. Paul on April 10, 2025. He is charged with: 

• Possession of methamphetamines for the purpose of trafficking;
• Possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking;
• Firearm-related offences (x9); and
• Unauthorized possession of identity document.