The Fort Smith RCMP executed a search warrant on the evening of November 18th, 2023. The Northwest Territories Emergency Response Team (ERT) assisted in the execution of the warrant on McDougal Road. The warrant execution was a proactive enforcement action as part of a drug trafficking investigation and two adults were arrested as a result of the search. One of the adults who was arrested on scene, had been a target of the investigation. A second suspect in this investigation was not in the residence at the time. The investigation in Fort Smith is on-going and no charges have been laid against the two adults who were arrested during the warrant execution.
Later in the evening on November 18th, 2023, the second suspect of the investigation was located and arrested in Fort Resolution. 19-year-old Abel Leule of Edmonton, Alberta was taken into custody after an elder asked RCMP officers to remove Leule from his home. Leule was found to be in possession of 84 grams of crack-cocaine, 35 grams of suspected Percocet and $5500 dollars in cash. Leule has since been remanded into custody on charges of trafficking a controlled substance, possession for the purpose of trafficking, being unlawfully in a dwelling house, obstructing a police officer and two counts of failing to comply with court conditions.
"Drug traffickers are coming into our communities and coercing their way into personal residences so they can conduct their business. The people that are housing these drug traffickers are sometimes compensated for their silence or other times, too scared to say anything. This type of activity exploits not only people struggling with addictions but also the vulnerable people in our communities who house these traffickers and are subjected to this illegal and dangerous activity, "Cpl. Matt Halstead, RCMP NT Media Relations.
This investigation resulted from the cooperation of the Northwest Territories RCMP's south district detachments and, highlights the RCMP's on-going commitment to reducing the availability harmful and dangerous drugs in our communities.
The people in the communities were serve are the best sources of information when it comes to drug trafficking investigations. Anyone who has information about drug trafficking as asked to contact their local detachment or CrimeStoppers.