A significant quantity of drugs is off the streets in Saskatchewan after an investigation by the Saskatoon Integrated Crime Reduction Team, the Prince Albert Gang Task Force and the Melfort and Tisdale RCMP Detachment. RCMP Sgt. Kory Davidsen from the Saskatoon ICRT says the amount of drugs works out to over 4,000 individual sales of meth, 992 individual sales of cocaine and over 3,000 street level sales of Fentanyl. It’s expected the seizure will have a significant impact on the communities surrounding Melfort, Tisdale and the Cities of Saskatoon and Prince Albert.

RCMP say on April 26th, the Saskatoon Police Tactical Support Unit, under the direction of the investigative team, conducted a vehicle stop outside of the city on Highway 7 near Township Road 340. It’s alleged the driver from Bjorkdale was found with significant quantities of meth, Fentanyl, cocaine, and related drug paraphernalia. A search warrant was executed at a home in Bjorkdale where officers say firearms, meth, ketamine, hydromorphone and more drug paraphernalia were seized.

Fifty-three year old Rudi Betthel is facing numerous charges including five counts of trafficking and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

A search warrant was then executed at a home in the 300 block of Avenue N South in Saskatoon where police report more illicit and controlled substances as well as a firearm and weapons dangerous to the public were seized.

Thirty-nine year old Tricia Karpluk’s charges include trafficking, possession of proceeds obtained by crime, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Both appeared in court today (Wed) in Saskatoon.