Specialized municipal policing teams in Saskatchewan have reported a significant dent in organized crime following a year of intensive enforcement that resulted in hundreds of criminal charges and the seizure of massive quantities of illicit drugs.
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According to data released on May 13 by the provincial government, the Crime Reduction Teams (CRTs) and Saskatchewan Trafficking Response Teams (STRTs) laid 722 criminal charges against 154 individuals throughout 2025.
The operations, which target prolific offenders and high-level trafficking, resulted in the seizure of 114 firearms and more than $926,000 in suspected criminal proceeds.
“These results demonstrate the real and measurable impact our specialized policing teams are having on community safety,” community safety minister Michael Weger said in a statement.
The teams focused heavily on the supply of toxic drugs, confiscating:
- 25.4 kilograms of cocaine
- 12.5 kilograms of methamphetamine
- 2.2 kilograms of fentanyl
The STRT, which specifically handles human trafficking and illegal firearm movement, also opened 68 human trafficking investigations and conducted 178 interventions to support victims over the last year.
Currently, these teams operate out of municipal police services in Prince Albert, Regina and Saskatoon.
In one notable case highlighted by officials, a six-week investigation into a Prince Albert drug network in late 2025 led to the seizure of 3.5 kilograms of cocaine and the arrest of four individuals.
Saskatoon Police Chief Cameron McBride noted that the provincial support for these units allows municipal services to disrupt crime more effectively at the neighborhood level.
“Each seizure helps ensure criminals do not benefit from illegal activity and helps create a stronger sense of safety in our neighbourhoods,” McBride said.
The province says the specialized units will continue to prioritize the dismantling of street gangs and the removal of illegal weapons to address modern criminal threats across Saskatchewan municipalities.
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