Stolen ID, uniforms, drugs, ammunition seized in raid
Public tips led Calgary police last week to raid a southeast home believed to be a hub for drug activity.
However, when the force’s tactical and drug teams served a search warrant on the apartment in the 200 block of Lynnview Road S.E. last Wednesday, investigators said they were surprised to find a huge trove of ID and credit cards, dozens of stolen vehicle keys and a trio of uniforms, including Canadian Forces garb, among the usual haul of drugs and weapons.
Det. Andrew Nicholson said several police units descended on the home in response to tips generated through the force’s Daylight Initiative launched last month to crack down on drug offences, particularly those linked to meth, which has become a scourge for police.
But they weren’t prepared to find what appeared to be a more complex operation at work.
“It was a known drug house, so we went in to do what we usually do — and we were surprised what came out of it,” he said.
“It certainly is early in the investigation … but I’m sure we’ll be finding lots of that property will be linked to break and enters.”
All told, police seized more than 400 pieces of evidence, including hundreds of ID and credit cards, believed to be either stolen or obtained through fraudulent means, in three locked safes. Also retrieved were several debit machines and card-making equipment.
A loaded, sawn-off shotgun was seized along with 3,267 rounds of ammunition, in addition to a variety of edged weapons, while the drug haul included seven kilograms of cannabis as well as small amounts of methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and ketamine.
Most puzzling, Nicholson said, was the seizure of uniforms for the Canadian Forces, Canada Post and Telus. Police confirmed none of the three people arrested belonged to any of those organizations, currently or in the past, and it’s unclear how they procured them.
“As far as we can tell, we think these were trophies they took,” he said, noting police have had no reports of crimes linked to the uniforms that were seized.
Also found in the apartment were magnetic vehicle signs used to identify the vehicle as belonging to Telus, three licence plates — one of which was reported stolen — and dozens of vehicle keys.
The investigation is still ongoing, Nicholson said, as officials are going through the identification cards to see if they belong to actual victims. At this point, it’s believed at least 100 people will have to be contacted, though that number could grow, he said.
Keith Clayton Dyke, 36, is facing 15 charges connected with the raid, including trafficking and drug possession, weapons offences and illegal possession of identity documents, among others.
Also charged is 33-year-old Melissa Sue Kaplun, with five offences relating to drug trafficking and possessing identity documents, and Logan Cody Auest, 29, who is charged with breach of a firearms prohibition on a probation warrant.
Anyone with information about the investigation or suspicious activity in their neighbourhood can contact the police drug tip line by phone at 403-428-8100, or by email at drugstips@calgarypolice.ca. Tips can also be lodged anonymously by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or visiting calgarycrimestoppers.org