Police seize more than $1 million in cash and drugs following interprovincial trafficking investigation

Three men and one woman have been charged and more than $1 million in drugs and cash have been seized after police in Edmonton and Ontario disrupted an interprovincial drug trafficking network. In February 2022, EPS Special Projects Team 1 initiated an investigation into a suspected interprovincial drug trafficking network that was operating between Mississauga and Edmonton. With the assistance of the Peel Regional Police, four suspects, three males and one female, were identified, and on Friday, June 3, 2022, search warrants were executed on three residences and three vehicles, including one residence and a vehicle in Mississauga. The warrants resulted in the seizure of cash, drugs, firearms and ammunition, including:

⦁Approximately $786,000 in cash
⦁2.6 kgs of soft cocaine (approximate street value $162,000)
⦁94 g of hard cocaine (approximate street value $5,200)
⦁226 g of carfentanyl (approximate street value $34,000)
⦁56 g of fentanyl (approximate street value $10,000)
⦁1.9 kgs of buffing agent (approximate street value $8,000)
⦁3 handguns
⦁Multiple rounds of ammunition
⦁A large variety of items consistent with the trafficking of drugs

Photos of some of the seized items are included below.

All four suspects have since been arrested and are facing numerous charges:

Kevin Nguyen, 25, of Mississauga is charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of an opioid, possession of property obtained by a crime, possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, knowledge of the unauthorized possession of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, careless storage of a firearm, unauthorized possession of a prohibited device or ammunition, possess a firearm with an altered serial number, and breach of condition. 

Tran (Larissa) Vu, 25, of Mississauga is charged with possession of property obtained by a crime, possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, knowledge of the unauthorized possession of a firearm, careless storage of firearm unauthorized possession of a prohibited device or ammunition and possess a firearm with an altered serial number.

Richard Tran, 24, of Edmonton is charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm (x2), possession of a loaded or restricted firearm(x2), possession of a weapon obtained by a crime, possession for the purpose of trafficking (x3) and possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000.

Daniel Estoque, 28, of Edmonton is charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking (x2) and possession of the proceeds of crime over $5,000.

“Our investigation revealed that this network was trafficking significant quantities of drugs into our community each month, with large quantities of it being sold to dealers who are targeting Edmonton’s vulnerable population,” says Const. Devin Kokoski with EPS Special Project Team 1.

“The EPS would like to extend our thanks to the Peel Regional Police Service, the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) and numerous areas within the EPS for their assistance disrupting this network and preventing further victimization of our vulnerable community members.”