Edmonton police have recovered a number of weapons and a quantity of drugs after an investigation by the Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement (EDGE) Unit.
Police searched a southside apartment complex after receiving a tip that an organized crime group was using the suite to store and distribute drugs.
A search of the apartment uncovered a Tech 9 fully automatic assault rifle, a loaded 40 round clip, a sawed-off shotgun, a throwing star, a small quantity of crack cocaine and $1,100 in cash.
"Although the amount of drugs located was minimal, the weapons located clearly display the level of violence associated with organized crime and the drug trade in Edmonton," said Acting Staff Sgt. Dwayne Lakusta.
Curtis Henry Browne, 25, faces a long list of charges including careless storage of firearms, possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.
In a separate incident, two other people face drug-related charges after the EDGE unit conducted two vehicle stops in downtown Edmonton. It happened after officers observed an alleged drug transaction in progress. They searched one vehicle and found a kilogram of cocaine. Police report another kilogram of cocaine was found in a second vehicle, along with one ounce of cocaine broken into small packages. One kilogram of cocaine has an estimated street value of $90,000 when sold in one unit but if broken down for street level sales, it could sell for more than $300,000.
A search warrant was then conducted on a residence, where more drugs were discovered as well as $8,000 in cash.
Jia Sheng Liu, 21, and Thomas Vuong, 23, are facing a number of drug related charges.
