Lab shut down, two arrested for selling fentanyl as heroin

ALERT Edmonton’s organized crime and gang team has shut down a fentanyl production lab operating out of a home in southeast Edmonton. Two people were arrested and nearly $1 million worth of drugs were seized.

With the help of the Edmonton Police Service’s Clandestine Lab Team, ALERT investigators executed a search warrant on the home in the Silverberry neighbourhood on August 8, 2018. Once inside, they discovered a lab where fentanyl was being processed to look like heroin. More than two kilograms of processed fentanyl was seized, which, if sold as heroin, has an estimated value of $800,000.

“We have seen street-level dealers passing off fentanyl as other drugs before, but this is one of the first times we’ve encountered a production lab specifically set up to produce fentanyl that would be sold under such false pretenses,” said Insp. Marc Cochlin, officer in charge of ALERT’s Edmonton teams. “It’s alarming to see producers harboring such a blatant disregard for the safety of their consumers and for the safety of the community as a whole.”

Also found in the home were 500 grams of fentanyl powder, five kilograms of a buffing agent and $900 cash proceeds of crime. Investigators also seized a 2011 Mercedes-Benz sedan, which will be submitted to the provincial civil forfeiture office for review.

Dylan Vande Gutche, 21, and Robert Burke, 18, have each been charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purposes of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime. However, it is expected that more charges will be laid against both suspects in the near future.

Due to the fentanyl contamination in the house, the hazardous materials team from Edmonton Fire Rescue Services was called in to assist with the operation. Alberta Health Services has inspected the home and declared it unfit for human habitation, and will determine how much remediation will be necessary.

This investigation began in December 2017.

Members of the public who suspect drug or gang activity in their community can call local police, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is always anonymous.

Related Topics:ALERT Edmonton fentanyl lab shut down

Up Next

Edmonton Police fatally shoot man wanted on Canada-wide warrant. ASIRT investigating.

Don't Miss

The final 100 days of the First World War

Lindsey Lubkey

Follow Author

Australia Has Lost a Cricket Legend – Shane Warne

Sports / 3 years ago

Pia Babnik excited to defend individual title in Jeddah finale of Aramco Team Series

Sports / 3 years ago

The 2022 Olympics Are Over – Here’s What You Need to Know

Crime

Pam Bondi Reveals What The Holdup Is With Epstein File Release

Published on May 7, 2025

Todayville

From the Daily Caller News Foundation

By Harold Hutchison

Attorney General Pam Bondi told reporters Wednesday that the FBI is still reviewing “tens of thousands” of child porn videos that were in the possession of Jeffrey Epstein.

Epstein committed suicide while awaiting trial after he was arrested in 2019 on sex charges. Bondi was asked about the delay releasing the documents pertaining to Epstein by a reporter after announcing plans for a press conference Wednesday.

“The FBI, they’re reviewing… there are tens of thousands of videos of Epstein with children or child porn and there are hundreds of victims and no one victim will ever get released, it’s just the volume and that’s what they’re going through right now,” Bondi said. “The FBI is diligently going through that… I’ll call him later.”

Dear Readers:

As a nonprofit, we are dependent on the generosity of our readers.

Please consider making a small donation of any amount here.

Thank you!

WATCH:

Epstein, who pled guilty to sex charges in 2008, had extensive ties to celebrities, politicians and executives, even after he was a convicted sex offender. Among those who were known to have been close were L Brands founder Lex Wexner, director Woody Allen and Prince Andrew.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates also met with Epstein a number of times, as did employees of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Gates met with Epstein as late as 2019 despite concerns his then-wife, Melinda, expressed according to a May 2021 report by The Wall Street Journal.

The Daily Caller asked President Donald Trump about the delay in releasing the files during an April 22 White House event. “I don’t know, I’ll speak to the attorney general about that. I really don’t know,” Trump told Daily Caller White House correspondent Reagan Reese. “I know that we’ve done the RFK, the Kennedy, Martin Luther King is out there very shortly, so we’ll find out. But … we’ve really, really announced, we’re doing them in full transparency.”

Bondi released the first batch of files regarding Epstein on February 27.

Alberta

Charges laid in record cocaine seizure

Published on May 7, 2025

Todayville

From ALERT – The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team

Five suspects have now been charged in relation to a major cocaine seizure that took place in Edmonton last year. In April 2024 $3 million worth of cocaine and other drugs was seized.

ALERT Edmonton’s organized crime team, in consultation with Alberta Crown Prosecution Service, was able to arrest and lay charges against five suspects on April 21, 2025. The charges are wide-ranging and include participation in the activities of a criminal organization, conspiracy to traffic drugs, drug trafficking, and money laundering.

“Following last year’s drug seizure, our investigative team was able to conduct a thorough investigation and identify the suspects responsible. We now have significant charges put before the courts in the hopes of holding this organized crime group accountable,” said Insp. Angela Kemp, ALERT Edmonton.

The drug seizure was initially announced by ALERT on May 6, 2024. At 27 kilograms of cocaine, it was highlighted as the largest cocaine seizure by ALERT in Edmonton.

The seizure took place on April 30, 2024 when a search warrant was executed at a west Edmonton home in the Lewis Estates neighbourhood.

ALERT alleges that the suspects are part of an organized crime group that was involved in drug trafficking in the Edmonton region, and had also supplied drugs to Grande Prairie and Saskatchewan. ALERT received assistance on the investigation by the Edmonton Police Service and RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region.

The following suspects were charged:

Jeffrey Vil, a 45-year-old from Edmonton, is charged with participation in activities of a criminal organization, commission of an offence for a criminal organization, conspiracy to traffic drugs, conspiracy to possess drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, laundering proceeds of crime, possession of proceeds of crime, and possession of a prohibited device.
Tommy Szeto, a 35-year-old from Edmonton, is charged with participation in activities of a criminal organization, commission of an offence for a criminal organization, conspiracy to traffic drugs, conspiracy to possess drugs for the purpose of trafficking, possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking, and laundering proceeds of crime.
Tayler Fraser, a 27-year-old from Edmonton, is charged with is charged with participation in activities of a criminal organization, commission of an offence for a criminal organization, conspiracy to traffic drugs, and conspiracy to possess drugs for the purpose of trafficking.
Christian Barwise, a 35-year-old from Edmonton, is charged with drug trafficking.
Adrian De Guzman, a 27-year-old from Edmonton, is charged with drug trafficking.

The suspects were released from custody and are scheduled to appear in court on May 22, 2025.

Members of the public who suspect drug or gang activity in their community can call local police, or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Crime Stoppers is always anonymous.

ALERT was established and is funded by the Alberta Government and is a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.