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Five suspects are facing drug trafficking charges after a Fort McMurray ALERT investigation resulted in the seizure of nearly a quarter-million dollars in drugs and cash.

The investigation, titled Project Flip, led ALERT Fort McMurray’s organized crime team to seize 2.3 kg of cocaine, smaller quantities of methamphetamine, MDMA, ketamine, illicit Xanax, and almost $30,000 in cash, said a Tuesday news release from ALERT.
 
“Project Flip is a great example of an investigation being worked on from the ground up,” said Staff Sgt. Mark Wait of ALERT in Fort McMurray. “We were able to work with the Wood Buffalo RCMP detachment to target street-level dealers, and from there built a successful investigation that toppled the network and supply.”

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Search warrants were conducted in Fort McMurray and Kelowna, B.C., with a total of three homes being searched. A total of 14 criminal charges have been laid against Braeden Kreutzer, 25, Theresa Lemky, 25, Joshua Siojo, 26, Adam Osman, 27, and Matin Spiegelberg, 53. All five are charged with conspiracy to traffic drugs and drug trafficking. Osman and Siojo are also charged with possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking.

All of the suspects have since been released from custody to await court appearances.

Project Flip was launched in 2021 in coordination with St. Albert RCMP, Edmonton Police Service, CFSEU-B.C. (Kelowna), Lethbridge Police Service, and Wood Buffalo RCMP. Through that investigation, ALERT developed criminal intelligence about suppliers and the larger drug trafficking network in the region.

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