$760K in fentanyl seized after armed robbery: police

Fentanyl and a handgun were seized from an Edmonton home after an armed robbery. (Suppled: Edmonton Police Service)

Two people are facing charges after a robbery investigation that led to the seizure of a handgun and hundreds of thousands of dollars in fentanyl.

On June 25, police were called to a report of an armed robbery at a multi-unit residence near Manning Drive and Ebbers Boulevard.

The victim reported to police that he came to the home to make a purchase. When he arrived, the residents of the suite showed him a gun and took his money.

He was not injured.

A man and a woman in the suite were taken into custody without incident.

After executing a search warrant, police located a loaded handgun and five kilograms of fentanyl, with an estimated street value of $760,000.

“Five kilograms of fentanyl is a substantial seizure, and we are hopeful that it will significantly disrupt this distribution network,” said Staff Sgt.Ahmed Alkarout with the EPS Northeast Investigative Response Team in a written release. “Every amount of illegal fentanyl we can remove from city streets is certainly a life saved.”

Shareef Sharkawi, 30, is charged with possession with the purpose of trafficking, robbery with a firearm, careless use of a firearm, possession of a loaded restricted firearm, possession of a firearm knowing the serial number is defaced, possessing a prohibited firearm, and possessing a firearm knowing possession is unauthorized.

Jennifer McGagherty, 30, has been charged with robbery with a firearm and possession for the purpose of trafficking.

Police say the victim and the accused are not known to each other, and the purchase was not related to the gun or seized drugs.