INNISFAIL – Two out-of-town city men are facing numerous criminal charges after police followed a suspicious vehicle in town and made a drug bust.
Innisfail RCMP Staff Sgt. Chris Matechuk said police officers from the detachment’s General Investigation Section were conducting proactive patrols at around 7 p.m. on Dec. 8 in the east side of town when a Honda Civic with a stolen licence plate was seen at a gas station.
Matechuk said the vehicle was “covertly” followed until it parked a few blocks away at a second location and the occupants exited the vehicle.
He said with the assistance of detachment police officers, both occupants were arrested outside the vehicle without incident.
Matechuk said the vehicle was found to contain multi ounces of methamphetamine and hundreds of oxycodone tablets, both controlled drugs.
A passenger in the vehicle was also found to have multiple counterfeit identification documents in his possession. Both suspects also had outstanding arrest warrants and were held for bail hearings and taken before a justice of the peace.
Steve Bigras-Varin, 31, of Edmonton, was charged with the following:
• possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking
• possession of oxycodone for the purpose of trafficking
• possession of a stolen licence plate
• three counts of breaching current release orders
• driving while suspended
• driving with no insurance
• displaying unauthorized licence plate
Maxime Falardeau-Viau, 32, of Calgary, was charged with the four counts of possessing a fraudulent identity document.
Both were released and are scheduled to appear in Red Deer provincial court on Jan. 12.
