On Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, Grande Prairie RCMP Drug Section with assistance of Grande Prairie Crime Reduction Unit execute simultaneous search warrants at a property in the Mountainview area of Grande Prairie City and a residence in Clairmont.
As a result, the following items were seized by police:
-1.4 kilograms of cocaine
-991 grams of methamphetamine
-3 kilograms of initially unknown pills
-203 cartons of illicit cigarettes
-1 stolen revolver with ammunition
-Over $27,000 in Canadian currency
-Drug trafficking paraphernalia
Andre Rozon (50) a resident of Grande Prairie has been charged with:
-Possession for the purpose of trafficking-Cocaine
-Possession for the purpose of trafficking-Methamphetamine
-Possession of Canadian Currency over $5000 as proceeds of crime
- Possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm with ammunition
-Careless use of a firearm
- Possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm while knowing its possession is prohibited
- Possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm obtained in the commission of an offence
- Fail to comply with firearm prohibition order (Four counts)
-Possession of property obtained by crime under $5000
-Possession of unstamped tobacco
Rozon was brought before a justice of the peace and subsequently remanded into custody to appear at the Alberta Court of Justice In Grande Prairie on Jan. 13, 2025.
A subsequent analysis of the initially unknown pills determined them to isotonitazene. Cst Luke Woodman from the Grande Prairie RCMP Drug Section states “The pills seized in this case were round, yellow with a horizontal score line on one side and “TEC” imprinted on the other. Analysis by Health Canada’s Drug Analysis Service has tentatively identified the highly potent opioid as isotonitazene. Isotonitazene belongs to the benzimidazole opioid class of drugs, also referred to as “nitazenes”. Isotonitazene is estimated to have greater potency then fentanyl and has been associated with drug toxicity deaths in Alberta. Nitazene-induced toxicity is expected to be reversed by naloxone (Narcan), but additional doses may be required over time.