The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) have dismantled a significant cross-border drug operation linked to Mexican cartels, resulting in one of the largest cocaine seizures in the province's history. The operation, named Project Cerberus, began in May 2023 and concluded this month. It involved collaboration with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Calgary police, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

ALERT reported that the drug network sourced cocaine from Mexican cartels, transported it through the United States, and then distributed it across Canada, from British Columbia to Ontario. Authorities arrested five men from Alberta—two from Calgary and three from Edmonton—who now face a total of 31 charges related to organized crime, drug trafficking, money laundering, and conspiracy.

Additionally, a sixth man from Edmonton was arrested in October 2024 after 96 kilograms of cocaine were discovered in a Houston home. He was involved in the transportation of drugs through the U.S. and has since been sentenced to over 11 years in federal prison.

In total, officials seized 157 kilograms of cocaine, which tested at a purity level of 96 to 98 percent, with an estimated street value exceeding $15 million. The operation also led to the confiscation of 15 firearms, nearly one million dollars in cash, and seven vehicles modified with hidden compartments for smuggling.

The first cocaine seizure occurred in March 2024, when Manitoba RCMP found 61 kilograms hidden in a vehicle near Richer, Manitoba. Sgt. Matt Pumphrey, an RCMP officer with Calgary ALERT, noted that the hidden compartments were operated by a complex hydraulic system, highlighting the sophistication of the operation. "Our information suggests that the organized crime group was paying upwards of $50,000 to have these hidden compartments installed, and this speaks to the sophistication of their operation and profit motive," Pumphrey stated.

Experts emphasize that such concealment methods are common in drug trafficking. Kelly Sundberg, a former Canada Border Services Agency officer and current criminology professor at Mount Royal University, pointed out that the tools to detect these compartments are not consistently available at all border crossings. He advocates for the implementation of drug-sniffing K-9 units and X-ray scanning technology at all ports of entry around the clock. "Is it going to be expensive? Is it going to require a lot of training and a lot of resources? Absolutely it will. But, it'll save lives," Sundberg said.

While Sundberg commended the investigation's success, he cautioned that without enhanced screening measures, the seizure represents only a small fraction of the ongoing drug problem. Temitope Oriola, a criminology professor at the University of Alberta, described the bust as a "massive deal" but warned that such criminal networks are often quick to adapt. "Unfortunately, these are hydra-headed, multi-faceted entities," Oriola said. "This is an incredible accomplishment by law enforcement across Canada and the U.S., but it may not signal the end of the particular organized criminal syndicate here."