Calgary Police arrested and charged two Chestermere residents involved in a large-scale drug lab in a northwest Calgary residence.
Calgary Police seized more than $5.7 million worth of drugs from a methamphetamine, fentanyl, and cocaine drug lab in Nolan Hill on April 7.
In July 2021, two suspects were believed to be engaging in drug trafficking, and after an eight-month-long investigation, a search warrant was executed for two properties in Chestermere, and one residence in Nolan Hill.
On April 7, Chestermere RCMP assisted Calgary Police in searching the residences and arresting the suspects.
During the search of the Calgary residence, 4.57 kilograms of methamphetamine, valued at approximately $380,000, 27.21 kilograms of fentanyl powder, valued at over $4 million, 3,132 fentanyl pills, valued at approximately $122,640, 2 kilograms of cocaine, valued at approximately $140,000, 43.7 grams of crack cocaine, valued at approximately $43,700, 47,042 Oxycodone pills, valued at approximately $940,840, and 716 Xanax pills, valued at approximately $3,580 were seized.
Additional drug trafficking production equipment, including more than 100 kilograms of an unknown cutting agent, one Glock handgun and silencer, with six additional barrels, a custom-made automatic firearm and silencer, 900 rounds of ammunition, and $10,000 in Canadian currency was also found.
“It is extremely concerning that a drug production lab of this scale was operating in a residential community,” Sgt. Todd Nichol of Calgary Police Service District 4 Operations Team said. “Aside from exploiting those who are most vulnerable, drug trafficking attracts unwanted and unnecessary violence to our community. This was a significant seizure for our Service, that should directly impact the safety of Calgarians.”
Daniel Heng, 39, and Edric Padua-Balmes, 30, of Chestermere were arrested at the Calgary International Airport, and have been charged with three counts of production of a controlled substance, three counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, and one count of possession of the proceeds of crime.
“A lot of things happen in Chestermere that go relatively unnoticed, and we are hoping to change that in the coming months. We have a newly arrived General Investigation and Crime Reduction Officer who will be looking to overturn the rocks and find out what is happening in the underbelly of our community,” Chestermere RCMP Sgt. Joe Stubbs said. “Often people feel drugs are a victimless crime, but it is the contrary, accidental overdoses leave loved ones hurting, drug dealers lacing their products with highly addictive substances, such as fentanyl, creates a greater desire for their drugs increasing the dealers’ profits. When the need to support addictions and habits increases and the money runs out, houses are lost, or people resort to crimes of opportunity to fund their addictions. It is important to us police officers, to do what we can to keep the community safe and our future efforts will be spent focussing on the hidden drug subculture of our community.”
