Alert: targeting Lloyd’s organized crime

The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) are disrupting organized crime across the province, including in Lloydminster.

Insp. Brad Lundeen, officer in charge of ALERT’s regional teams, explained their mission: “The ALERT mandate is to disrupt organized crime within their communities.”

In Lloydminster, ALERT focuses on drug and firearms trafficking.

“Last year, our Lloydminster team made about 24 arrests and took 41 firearms off the hands of drug dealers,” said Lundeen.

They also seized approximately $165,000 worth of drugs.

The Lloydminster ALERT team includes 12 officers and operates within the city and surrounding areas.

“They generate and spearhead their own organized crime investigations,” Lundeen noted. Additionally, the team supports local RCMP when needed.

Lundeen emphasized how ALERT targets all levels of organized crime.

“We’re looking upstream to those mid-levels and those higher levels within those organized crime groups,” he explained.

A major case, Project Deception, revealed connections between Lloydminster street dealers and organized crime networks in Edmonton and Kelowna.

“Organized crime groups … don’t see jurisdictions,” Lundeen added. “They’re ultimately looking to make money, and where there’s consumers for their product … they will capitalize.”

Lundeen encouraged residents to assist ALERT by reporting drug and firearms activity.

“We depend heavily on the community to help us with our enforcement activities,” he said.

Reports can be submitted anonymously through Crime Stoppers or directly to ALERT.

ALERT aims to make Lloydminster safer and more secure by addressing crime at both street and supply-chain levels.

“We have the ability and the nimbleness to attack these activities … and the organized crime structures … to supply drugs to those communities,” Lundeen concluded.

You are encouraged to reach out to your local RCMP and Crime Stoppers if you have any tips.

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