Drug Bust Connects Medicine Hat and Calgary

Medicine Hat… Five people have been arrested in an ALERT Medicine Hat Police Service drug bust that spanned Medicine Hat and Calgary. Nearly $80,000 worth of drugs and a handgun were seized.

ALERT’s Medicine Hat organized crime and gang team conducted two search warrants in Medicine Hat on August 2, and followed that up with the arrest of a Calgary man in Chestermere on August 3.

Search warrants were conducted at two Medicine Hat locations and resulted in the arrest of two local men. ALERT was able to utilize information gained in the searches to pursue the Calgary-based drug supplier.

The totality of the arrests resulted in the seizure of the following items:

• Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic handgun
• 81 grams of cocaine;
• 438 grams of methamphetamine;
• 11 gram of heroin;
• 262 grams of marijuana;
• 20 grams of cannabis resin;
• 5,000 contraband cigarettes;
• $8,800 cash proceeds of crime;

Five people were arrested and have been charged with numerous criminal offences relating to drugs and firearms:

• Jamie Copeland, 34, of Calgary;
• Nabilla Zemarak, 21, of Edmonton;
• Alan Dressel, 40, of Medicine Hat;
• Brent Heath, 28, of Medicine Hat;
• Christie Graham, 31, of Toronto. 

Copeland, Zemarak, and Graham were remanded in custody and are scheduled to appear in a Strathmore court on August 16. Dressel and Heath were released on bail and will appear in Medicine Hat court on August 11 and August 25, respectively.

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. Members of Alberta Sheriffs, Calgary Police Service, Edmonton Police Service, Lethbridge Police Service, Medicine Hat Police Service, and RCMP work in ALERT.