Lethbridge drug bust nets man linked to Winnipeg street gang

Already facing trafficking charges in Lethbridge, a man with ties to a Winnipeg-based street gang was arrested this week as part of an AlbertaLaw Enforcement Response Teams investigation into the drug trade in the southern Alberta cityand on the nearby Blood First Nation Reserve.

Corey Amyotte, 33, an alleged member of the Mad Cowz gang, was arrested Wednesday at a downtown Lethbridge hotel along with four others Harmeet Singh Bhachu, 24, from Calgary, Brittany Bird, 25, from Lethbridge, Tara Lynn Gearo, 35, from Calgary and Coral Olivos, 26, from Calgary.

Two vehicles were also searched and one was seized.

• Blood Tribe issues local state of emergency after 30 drug overdoses in a week
• 'An absolute crisis': 42 recent overdose calls near Lethbridge linked to toxic batch of drugs
• Blood Tribe woman remembers 'beautiful soul' who died in recent spate of overdoses

Roughly $100,000 worth of drugs was found during the searches, including:

• 51fentanylpills.
• Half a gram of suspectedcarfentanil.
• 24 grams of crack cocaine.
• 23 grams of methamphetamine.
• 48 codeine pills.
• Threeoxycodonepills.
• 18 grams of a suspected buffing agent.
• $1,875 cash proceeds of crime.

The arrests were the result of information gathered by Blood Tribe Police.

Amyotteis charged with two counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of proceeds of crime, and two counts of breach of recognizance.

The breaches relate to a 2016 arrest whenAmyottewas chargedalong with two othersafter police seized 777fentanylpills.

His trial on that matter is scheduled to begin in two weeks.

"Timely intelligence sharing between our agencies was a key factor in making a quick arrest," said ALERTLethbridgeStaff Sgt. JasonWalper, referring to the latest arrests.

"Given the recent concerns related tofentanyloverdoses in both communities, we are not willing to take any chances and will aggressively pursue drug dealers."

Emergency crews inLethbridgeresponded to an alarming number of overdose calls in recent weeks,including 16 on a single day last Friday which was the highest volume crews haveever seen in a single day, Deputy Chief Dana Terry ofLethbridgeFire and Emergency Services toldCBCNews.

• MORE ALBERTA NEWS|Albertans cautioned to postpone non-essential travel as winter storm sweeps into province
• MORE ALBERTA NEWS|UCP Leader Jason Kenney draws fire for saying safe consumption sites help addicts 'inject poison'