Pubdate: Thu, 01 Mar 2018
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2018 Postmedia Network
Contact:  http://www.calgaryherald.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Dale Naylor

POLICE TO REVEAL DETAILS OF CRIME CARTEL'S DEADLY REIGN

Calgary police will reveal details Thursday about how they smashed a
city-based crime cartel involved in murder, massive importation of
drugs and money laundering.

Tentacles of the gang spread as far as Mexico, and Postmedia sources
say they had connections with notorious drug cartels there.

Postmedia has also learned the group has been tied to a brazen
daylight shooting May 21 that left two men dead in a southeast Calgary
Superstore parking lot.

Sources say the bust is so significant that members of the U.S. Drug
Enforcement Adminstration (DEA) will be on hand when police reveal
details at a news conference Thursday morning.

"We are talking massive drug seizures," said the source, who spoke on
the condition of anonymity.

"We are talking about fentanyl labs, steroid labs, shatter
labs."

Shatter is a glass-like marijuana derivative that is smoked, usually
via a vaporizer.

"They were also involved in money laundering on a large scale," said
another source, adding police have already seized two high-end vehicles.

Dubbed Project Arbour, Calgary police and detectives with the Alberta
Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT), who specialize in drugs and
gangs, have been pursuing the case for nearly a year.

A major break came when two Calgarians were busted in Utah last year
in what was called that state's biggest ever meth bust.

Postmedia has learned some aspects of the investigation were carried
out by undercover operatives.

Sources say the Calgary gang would trade marijuana they smuggled
across the border for meth with members of the Mexican cartel.

Final arrests and search warrants were executed in the city earlier
this month.

Colin Reitberger, 23, and Anees Amr, 26, were gunned down in front of
shoppers at the Superstore on May 21.

Police charged Christian Joffre Ouellette, 20, with two counts of
first-degree murder last June, in connection with the fatal shooting
at the Superstore parking lot on 130th Avenue S.E.

In December, investigators said they wanted to speak with a man who
may have been involved in selling a gun to Ouellette just days before
the shooting, in what was then described as a "significant" lead in
the investigation.

Postmedia has learned Project Arbour has found links between the
Calgary cartel and the gun used in the slayings.

Sources say the killing was ordered as part of a turf
war.

"The DEA has been amazed at the work we've been able to do," said
another police source.

Supt. Chad Coles, the CEO of ALERT, Staff Sgt. Martin Schiavetta, the
head of homicide for the Calgary Police Service, and Staff Sgt. Barry
McCurdy, of ALERT Calgary, will hold the news conference Thursday morning.
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