Two men charged in connection to a major drug bust north of Biggar - where an RCMP officer was shot - made their first court appearances today.
The Saskatchewan RCMP officer was shot while preparing to execute a search warrant at a rural home about 27 kilometres north of Biggar at 11:40 p.m. on May 15. He sustained non-life-threatening injuries.
RCMP arrested Mitch Hutchinson, 49, of Glenside, during the execution of the search warrant.
They searched the residence, two outbuildings, and two vehicles on the property. They found a significant amount of drugs including 1,000 grams of methamphetamine, 444 grams of fentanyl, 3,035 mL of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), 500 Xanax pills, and 400 tabs of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD).
Police seized $16,080 in Canadian currency, two money counters, scales, packaging for drugs, eight cell phones, several computers, and tablets.
They also confiscated several weapons including a semi-automatic rifle, a shotgun, a sawed-off double-barrel shotgun, a spent light anti-tank weapon, a revolver and body armour.
Hutchinson was charged with possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, alazopram (Xanax), gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for the purpose of trafficking, trafficking marijuana, possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000 and 18 firearms-related offences.
Regina Police arrested Kurt Elliot Miller, also of Glenside, during a traffic stop in Regina on May 14.
As a result of the May 14 traffic stop, Miller was charged with trafficking cocaine, trafficking methamphetamine, possession of proceeds of crime under $5,000, possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, and breach of probation.
As a result of the May 15 rural property search north of Biggar, Miller was charged with numerous drug-related offences including possession of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, alazopram (Xanax), gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), Iysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) for the purpose of trafficking, possessing proceeds of crime over $5,000 and 16 firearms-related charges.
“This investigation has removed significant quantities of dangerous drugs from our communities,” said Sgt. Jason Kerr, Saskatchewan RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime in a statement May 19.
“The types of drugs seized during this investigation have had dangerous, and at times, deadly impacts on the residents of Saskatchewan.”
Kerr said GHB is often called a date-rape drug because its sedative effects prevent victims from resisting sexual assault.
“In liquid form GHB is tasteless, odourless, and colourless and can be slipped into drinks without the victim noticing.”
Kerr said the sale and distribution of drugs result in an increase in criminal activity and drug overdoses, which can be fatal.
“Thousands of people in our province could have been affected had these hazardous substances not been removed from our streets.”
A woman was also detained at the rural home but later released without charges.
The officer who was shot received initial medical treatment from RCMP officers with the Saskatchewan RCMP Emergency Medical Response Team (EMRT). EMRT officers are part of the ERT and are trained to assist with medical emergencies, such as gunshot wounds, to get injured police officers to the next step of medical care.
“The injured officer was further assessed by local EMS and no further treatment was required,” said the RCMP.
No RCMP officers discharged their weapons during this incident.
Today, Hutchinson appeared in Saskatoon Provincial Court and Miller appeared in Regina Provincial Court.
Hutchinson was remanded in custody and has a show cause hearing scheduled in Saskatoon Provincial Court on May 21.
Miller was also remanded in custody. His matters were adjourned to give him time to get counsel. He is scheduled to appear in Regina Provincial Court on May 20.
