Four people with alleged ties to Mexican drug cartels are facing a host of drug- and weapons-related charges following a joint investigation by Edmonton police and Alberta RCMP, officials announced Wednesday.
A joint investigative team known as the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) arrested three men and one woman who they allege are members of the La Familia gang, which also purportedly has ties to El Salvador’s Mara Salvatrucha gang.
Police allege that the group was trying to gain control of Alberta’s drug distribution channels and was supplying “drug lines” in Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Drayton Valley, Lloydminster and Red Deer.
La Familia, which translates to The Family, is a known “international support arm for Mexican drug cartels,” according to an ALERT news release. Alleged members of the Alberta chapter wear a three-piece patch, not unlike those worn by motorcycle gangs.
ALERT began an investigation in August when police became concerned that the gang was “aggressively” recruiting new members and trying to establish new drug markets, according to the news release.
On Dec. 11, police arrested the president of the Alberta chapter of La Familia, Jose Antonio Monterrey, 33, as he tried to board a flight at the Edmonton airport.
Police also arrested three of Monterrey’s associates: Peter Alan Griffon, 34; Cody Sterling Temblett, 28; and Penny Sue Fleming, 34.
Police also seized a cache of weapons, money and drugs during searches of three Edmonton homes. The haul included $600,000 worth of drugs, including 5 kg of cocaine and an untold number of Oxycodone pills; $45,000 in cash; two .22 caliber rifles; a handgun; a sawed-off shotgun; thousands of rounds of ammunition; and body armour vests.
The 40 charges break down as follows:
- Monterrey faces four counts of possession of a prohibited weapon contrary to a probation order, three counts of drug possession, and one count each of possession of body armour and possession of a prohibited weapon.
- Griffon faces five counts of careless use of a firearm, two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, and one count each of possession of a loaded prohibited firearm and unauthorized possession of a firearm.
- Tremblett faces five counts of careless use of a firearm, two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, and one count each of possession of a loaded prohibited firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, possession of a weapon dangerous to public, and possession of body armour.
- Fleming faces the same charges as Tremblett, listed above.
