Alberta
7 arrests. Police seize $16 million in cash, real estate, and vehicles from Alberta, BC money laundering operation
News release from ALERT (Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team)
Project Collector halts Cross-Canada money laundering
Calgary… A professional money laundering organization, working in support of some of Canada’s largest crime groups, has been dismantled following an unprecedented investigation by ALERT and the RCMP.
Project Collector is a three-year financial crime investigation conducted jointly between ALERT Calgary’s financial crime team and RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime (FSOC). The investigation began in Calgary and led to the dismantling of a nation-wide criminal organization involved in money laundering.
Seven suspects have been charged, with arrests taking place in Calgary and Vancouver. In addition, more than $16 million in bank accounts, real estate holdings, and vehicles have been placed under criminal restraint.
Proceeds of crime from some of Canada’s largest criminal organizations were allegedly being transported between Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia. In a one-year period alone investigators identified the transfer of $24 million in cash, while the group’s money laundering activities date back to at least 2013.
Project Collector began in July 2018 after $1 million in cash, that was destined for Vancouver, was intercepted in Calgary. ALERT and RCMP launched an extensive investigation that relied heavily on intelligence from the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC).
Project Collector revealed that the group operated pseudo-bank branches at either side of the country, which while holding large cash reserves, allowed organized crime groups utilizing its service to transfer funds while avoiding the detection of financial banking institutions and authorities. The money laundering was primarily connected back to drug trafficking proceeds.
In total, 71 criminal offences are being pursued against the money laundering organization. Charges include participation in a criminal organization, laundering proceeds of crime, and trafficking property obtained by crime. Charges were also laid under the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act.
The arrests took place in September 2022:
- Lien Ha, 42-year-old from Calgary,
- Donald Hoang, 26-year-old from Vancouver;
- Van Duc Hoang, 64-year-old from Vancouver;
- Van Thi Nguyen, 62-year-old from Vancouver;
- Cynthia Nguyen, 42-year-old from Calgary;
- Yuong Nguyen, 43-year-old from Calgary; and
- Grace Tang, 25-year-old from Vancouver.
During the course of the investigation, search warrants were executed at a total of 10 homes in the Calgary region, Toronto area, and Vancouver.
Project Collector relied on the assistance of a number of police agencies and specialized units, including: Calgary Police Service, Canada Revenue Agency, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Forensic Accounting Management Group (FAMG), Vancouver Police, Toronto Police, Edmonton Police, Halton Police, Seized Property Management Directorate, and RCMP units in Ontario and British Columbia.
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.
Alberta opposes federal government plans: Premier Smith |
Premier Danielle Smith issued the following statement on the federal government’s asylum claimants relocation plan:
“Alberta’s government is opposed to the federal government’s plan to relocate tens of thousands of asylum claimants to Alberta, especially without any financial assistance to support the province in doing so.
“Alberta has always welcomed newcomers who possess our shared values – and we will continue to do so.
“However, last year alone, an all-time record of over 200,000 people moved to Alberta. That’s like adding two new Red Deer-sized cities in just one year.
“Although Alberta represents only 11.8 per cent of the Canadian population, we are currently supporting approximately 22 per cent (over 70,000) of Ukrainian evacuees who arrived in Canada.
“Section 95 of the constitution is clear – immigration is an area of shared authority between the federal government and the provinces. Yet, the Trudeau government’s unrestrained open border policies permitting well over a million newcomers each year into Canada is causing significant challenges, and it’s simply not sustainable.
“Excessive levels of immigration to this province are increasing the cost of living and strains public services for everyone.
“We are informing the Government of Canada that until further notice, Alberta is not open to having these additional asylum seekers settled in our province.
“We simply cannot afford it.”
News release from the Edmonton Police Service
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) has seized more than 66 kilograms of methamphetamine, cocaine, fentanyl and heroin in a large-scale drug investigation in central Edmonton.
In December 2023, members of the Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement Section (EDGE) initiated an inter-provincial drug trafficking investigation.
During the investigation, three male suspects were noted to be involved in various aspects of inter-provincial drug trafficking, including transporting drugs into and out of Alberta, as well as distributing them throughout Edmonton, including the inner-city community. A storage location for the drugs was located in a central Edmonton high rise apartment.
On May 9, 2024, police executed search warrants at three residences and four vehicles. As a result of the search warrants, EDGE members seized:
- 55.7 kg of methamphetamine, worth approximately $250,650
- 8.7 kg of cocaine, worth approximately $696,000
- 2.5 kg of fentanyl, worth approximately $300,000
- 83.5 grams of heroin, worth approximately $28,400
- 20 kg of buffing agent
- Five handguns, three of which were loaded at the time of seizure and two of which had defaced serial numbers. Two were also reported stolen in Saskatchewan and Alberta, and one originated from the U.S.
- Four vehicles with hidden compartments
- Approximately $20,000 in various currency
Drugs and firearms located in one of EPS’ largest-ever drug seizures
“This investigation is believed to be one of the largest, if not the largest, seizure of controlled substances in EPS history,” says Staff Sergeant David Paton, with the Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement (EDGE) Section. “Intercepting this huge volume of extremely harmful street drugs before they wreak havoc in our city is a rewarding outcome for our investigators, who have worked tirelessly for months on this operation.”
Jesse Koble, 29, is facing 27 charges, Mitchell Steeg, 31, is charged with nine offences, and Steven Santillana, 34 is charged with two offences, for a total of 38 drug and firearms-related criminal charges.
The EPS takes a strategic approach to drug and organized crime related violence through its Guns and Gangs Strategy. This plan considers the unique factors driving serious crime in the city, identifying key focus areas that require increased and sustained effort to reduce victimization and improve community safety.
The strategy leverages EPS’ internal expertise and external partnerships with other enforcement and social agencies to strike a balance between education, suppression, intervention, and prevention. It encompasses immediate and long-term solutions that both hold those perpetrating violence accountable and lead willing individuals away from gang association.
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