Five‑month probe ends with early‑morning raids
After five months of quiet surveillance and knock‑and‑talks, police say a Fort McMurray drug network has been yanked off the street and six people are now staring at a long list of charges. ALERT’s Fort McMurray organized crime team, working alongside Wood Buffalo RCMP, hit four homes and six vehicles between January 16 and 30, 2026, as part of the investigation.
What police say they found
Officers say the searches turned up a mix of hard drugs, weapons and suspected proceeds of crime. It’s the kind of combination—cocaine, meth, fentanyl and handguns—that turns routine calls into life‑or‑death situations for frontline members.
About 1,786 grams of cocaine
Roughly 753 grams of methamphetamine
80 grams of fentanyl
Four firearms (three handguns and a sawed‑off shotgun)
Two vehicles, seized as suspected proceeds of crime
Around $30,000 in cash
ALERT pegs the street value of the drugs at about $264,000, pushing the total haul of drugs, cash and vehicles well past a quarter of a million dollars. The firearms are headed for forensic and ballistics testing to see if they match other crime scenes.
Who’s now before the courts
In total, six people are facing 48 charges tied to drugs and weapons offences. ALERT lists them as:
Humzah Tariq, 30, of Calgary
Joshua Flores‑Hilario, 37, of Fort McMurray
Selim Messier, 25, of Calgary
Mia Franco Betharte, 28, of Calgary
Trevor Verge, 28, of Fort McMurray
Jessica Myers, 24, of Fort McMurray
Betharte has not yet been found, and a warrant is out for her arrest.
“A double win for public safety”
Staff Sgt. Mark Wait of ALERT Fort McMurray called the outcome “a double win for public safety,” pointing to both the volume of drugs seized and the number of guns taken out of circulation. He says tips from residents continue to play a key role in files like this and is urging anyone who sees possible drug or gang activity to call local police or reach Crime Stoppers at 1‑800‑222‑TIPS, where they can remain anonymous.
Primary sources:
ALERT news release on the Fort McMurray drug investigation and charges.
https://alert-ab.ca/six-charged-following-fort-mcmurray-drug-investigation/
Local coverage detailing seizure totals, list of accused and investigation timeline.
