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Man facing weapons, drug charges seeks bail in Saskatoon court

A man facing drug trafficking and weapons-related offences is seeking bail in Saskatoon Provincial Court. Rudi Betthel, 52, of Bjorkdale, had a show cause hearing on April 29 but the judge reserved his decision until May 7.
betthel and karpluk
Rudi Betthel and Tricia Karpluk were arrested near Saskatoon in April after police raided two homes and seized drugs and weapons. (Police photo)

A man facing drug trafficking and weapons-related offences is seeking bail in Saskatoon Provincial Court.

Rudi Betthel, 52, of Bjorkdale, had a show cause hearing on April 29 but the judge reserved his decision until May 7.

Betthel, along with Tricia Karpluk, 29, were arrested April 26 after several police forces teamed up and raided homes in Bjorkdale and Sasaktoon. Police seized a significant amount of methamphetamine, Fentanyl, and cocaine. According to the Saskatoon Integrated Crime Reduction Team (S-ICRT), 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.

Betthel was charged with five counts of trafficking drugs, five counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking, and five counts of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Karpluk was charged with trafficking drugs, possession of proceeds obtained by crime, possession of proceeds obtained by crime under $5,000, possess a weapon for a dangerous purpose, store a firearm in a careless manner, and possess a firearm knowing the serial number has been removed. She appears in court next on May 18.

The charges against Betthel and Karpluk haven’t been proven in court.