Edmonton
Fall commercial vehicle inspection takes more than half of vehicles checked out of service
September 17, 2021
The EPS Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit (CVIU) pulled 112 commercial vehicles off the road for failing to meet various safety compliance regulations during its recent three-day fall inspection event.
Aerial view of the fall 2021 commercial vehicle inspection
From September 14-16, 2021, CVIU resumed its fall commercial vehicle inspection for the first time since 2019. Working with partners including the Provincial Sheriffs, RCMP, Calgary Police Service, AGLC, Fuel Tax Enforcement and Peace Officers from local counties and Grande Prairie, officers inspected a total of 216 commercial vehicles at three sites around the city. The results are as follows:
- 65, or 30% of the total 216 vehicles inspected passed the inspection.
- 112, or 52% of the vehicles were declared out of service, meaning the vehicle had a defect that was an immediate risk to the safety of other road users.
- 39, or 18% of the vehicles required non-urgent attention.
- In total, 601 violations were discovered, resulting in 174 tickets being issued for a total of $56,376.
- 28 vehicles were towed due to their dangerous condition.
- 71 breath tests were also administered, resulting in one warning.
- Two charges were laid for suspended driving.
Comparing these statistics to those from the 2019 inspection, the out of service rate has increased by 10 per cent, with a similar number of inspections conducted. (In 2019, 231 inspections were completed compared to this year’s 216.)
The most dangerous vehicle inspected was a U.S. semi-truck towing heavy trailers that was found to have unsecured cargo, as well as mechanical issues that included brakes and trailer attachment points. The vehicle was towed to a licensed inspection facility and ordered to have a complete annual inspection.
“The bulk of our inspections this year looked at commercial vehicles traveling in and around the City of Edmonton,” says Sgt. Dave Beattie, with EPS CVIU. “It’s important to note that despite the one very dangerous semi truck we found, most of the long-distance highway trucks we see are in safe condition. So while the results are not indicative of the transport industry as a whole, it shows that there is work to be done within certain sectors. It is my hope that future operations like this, combined with education and collaboration with industry advocates, such as the Alberta Motor Transport Association (AMTA) will go a long way to improving the safety of the commercial vehicles operating on our roads.”
For more information on commercial vehicle inspections and the EPS Commercial Vehicle Investigation Unit, visit https://www.edmontonpolice.ca/trafficvehicles/trafficsafety/commercialvehicles
News release from ALERT (The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team)
Nearly $2.5 million in drugs and cash was seized from a southwest Edmonton condo building. A warrant has been issued for an Edmonton man.
ALERT Edmonton’s organized crime team made the seizure on October 9, 2024 after searching an address in the Windermere neighbourhood. The Edmonton Police Service helped with the search warrant execution.
ALERT seized an estimated $2.3 million worth of drugs, which included:
- 17.7 kilograms of cocaine;
- 5.3 kilograms of MDMA;
- 950 grams of methamphetamine;
- 3.1 kilograms of ketamine;
- 5 kilograms of psilocybin mushrooms;
- 20,000 oxycodone pills;
- 4,705 illicit prescription pills;
- $41,000 cash.
ALERT searched the address following an investigation that dates back to June 2024. Investigators developed information about a high-level drug trafficker operating in the Edmonton area with a number of supply lines.
The drug seizure marks ALERT’s largest since a record bust earlier in the year. In August, 27 kilograms of cocaine were seized from a west Edmonton home. The two investigations are unrelated.
A warrant has been issued for the arrest of Minh Nguyen. The 36-year-old Edmonton man is wanted on charges of possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of proceeds of crime, and possession of counterfeit money.
Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact police.
The investigation began in June 2024 after ALERT received information about a drug supplier based in the Edmonton area. ALERT alleges Nguyen was supplying other drug dealers in Edmonton and northern Alberta communities.
Members of the public who suspect drug or gang activity in their community can call local police, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is always anonymous.
ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.
News release from the Edmonton Police Service
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) has seized more than 66 kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and heroin in a large-scale drug investigation in central Edmonton.
In December 2023, members of the Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement Section (EDGE) initiated an inter-provincial drug trafficking investigation.
During the investigation, three male suspects were noted to be involved in various aspects of inter-provincial drug trafficking, including transporting drugs into and out of Alberta, as well as distributing them throughout Edmonton, including the inner-city community. A storage location for the drugs was located in a central Edmonton high rise apartment.
On May 9, 2024, police executed search warrants at three residences and four vehicles. As a result of the search warrants, EDGE members seized:
- 55.7 kg of methamphetamine, worth approximately $250,650
- 8.7 kg of cocaine, worth approximately $696,000
- 2.5 kg of fentanyl, worth approximately $300,000
- 83.5 grams of heroin, worth approximately $28,400
- 20 kg of buffing agent
- Five handguns, three of which were loaded at the time of seizure and two of which had defaced serial numbers. Two were also reported stolen in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and one originated from the U.S.
- Four vehicles with hidden compartments
- Approximately $20,000 in various currency
Drugs and firearms located in one of EPS’ largest-ever drug seizures
“This investigation is believed to be one of the largest, if not the largest, seizure of controlled substances in EPS history,” says Staff Sergeant David Paton, with the Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement (EDGE) Section. “Intercepting this huge volume of extremely harmful street drugs before they wreak havoc in our city is a rewarding outcome for our investigators, who have worked tirelessly for months on this operation.”
Jesse Koble, 29, is facing 27 charges, Mitchell Steeg, 31, is charged with nine offences, and Steven Santillana, 34 is charged with two offences, for a total of 38 drug and firearms-related criminal charges.
The EPS takes a strategic approach to drug and organized crime related violence through its Guns and Gangs Strategy. This plan considers the unique factors driving serious crime in the city, identifying key focus areas that require increased and sustained effort to reduce victimization and improve community safety.
The strategy leverages EPS’ internal expertise and external partnerships with other enforcement and social agencies to strike a balance between education, suppression, intervention, and prevention. It encompasses immediate and long-term solutions that both hold those perpetrating violence accountable and lead willing individuals away from gang association.
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