On Thursday, Feb. 22, 2024, Grande Prairie RCMP Drug section, with assistance from Grande Prairie Police Dog Services and Grande Prairie Crime Reduction Unit, executed a search warrant at a residence in the Patterson area of Grande Prairie City.

As a result of the search warrant, the following items were seized:

  • 918 grams of methamphetamine;
  • 148 grams of cocaine;
  • 27 grams of fentanyl;
  • 265 oxycontin pills;
  • $14,700 in Canadian Currency;
  • Handgun with defaced serial number;
  • Two sawed-off rifles; and
  • Drug trafficking paraphernalia.

James Burwash (43) a resident of Grande Prairie, has been charged with:

  • Possession for the purpose of trafficking (x3);
  • Possession of Canadian Currency over $5000 as proceeds of crime;
  • Possession of a prohibited firearm (x3);
  • Possession of a prohibited firearm while knowing its possession is prohibited (x3);
  • Defacing firearm serial number (x2);
  • Possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition (x3);
  • Possession of a prohibited firearm obtained in the commission of an offence;
  • Careless use of a firearm; and
  • Fail to comply with order (x2).

Burwash was brought before a justice of the peace and was remanded into custody, to appear at the Alberta Court of Justice in Grande Prairie on Mar. 11, 2024

Information provided by the Grande Prairie RCMP

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