BJORKDALE — Police seized firearms, methamphetamine, ketamine, hydromorphone and other drug paraphernalia after a search warrant was executed at a Bjorkdale home.
The warrant was executed after the Saskatoon Police Service Tactical Support Unit did a vehicle stop on Highway 7 near Township Road 340, located outside of Saskatoon, on April 26. RCMP said the driver, a man, was found to be in possession of significant quantities of methamphetamine, fentanyl, cocaine and related drug paraphernalia.
That vehicle stop was the result of local police forces working together.
According to a media release from the Saskatchewan RCMP, in March of 2021 the Saskatoon Integrated Crime Reduction Team (S-ICRT), the RCMP Prince Albert Gang Task Force, the Melfort RCMP and Tisdale RCMP joined forces and learned of information about the presence of large quantities of drugs in the area. A project was established based on information gathered by the RCMP, the Prince Albert Gang Task Force, Saskatoon Police Service Drug Unit, Saskatoon Police Service Patrol members, Saskatoon Integrated Crime Reduction Team and Crime Stoppers.
As a result of an investigation that included the efforts of those police forces, plus the Saskatoon Air Support Unit, RCMP Special “I” Section, Saskatoon Special Investigations Unit, Regina Special “O”, Saskatoon Tactical Support Unit and the RCMP Emergency Response Team, the April 26 vehicle stop was conducted.
“The amount of drugs seized represents around 4,068 individual sales of methamphetamine, 992 individual sales of cocaine and about 3,062 potential street levels sales of fentanyl. We expect that this seizure of drugs will have a significant impact on the communities surrounding Melfort, Tisdale and the Cities of Prince Albert and Saskatoon,” said Sgt. Kory Davidsen of the S-ICRT.
“The effectiveness of the collaboration of RCMP teams and units working in conjunction with the Saskatoon Police Service demonstrates how working together will produce excellent results.”
Police also obtained a search warrant for a home on the 300 block of Avenue N South in Saskatoon. There they seized more controlled substances, firearms and weapons.
RCMP said two have been charged in connection with the drug bust.
Rudi Betthel of Bjorkdale has been charged with five counts of trafficking under section 5(1) of the Controlled Substance and Drug Act, five counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking under section 5(2) of the Controlled Substance and Drug Act, and five counts of possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose under section 88 of the Criminal Code.
Tricia Karpluk of Saskatoon has been charged with trafficking in a controlled substance, possession of proceeds obtained by crime, possession of proceeds obtained by crime under $5,000, possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes, storing a firearm in a careless manner and possessing a firearm knowing the derail number has been removed.
Both appeared in court on April 28, 2021 in Saskatoon.
