Westlock couple facing drug charges again after meth bust

A Westlock couple has again been charged with drug-related offences following the seizure of close to one kilogram of methamphetamine from a rural property earlier this week.

Working on a tip that the two were involved in the drug trade, Mounties and members of Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams raided the property on Wednesday and found drugs with an estimated street value of $85,000.

The drug seizure included 824 grams of methamphetamine, 319 methamphetamine tablets, 369 MDMA tablets, 50 grams of suspected fentanyl powder, 74 grams of cocaine and 300 millilitres of GHB, and $5,000 cash proceeds of crime, police said Friday.

D’arcy Payne, 45, and Misty Payne, 41, were jointly charged with five counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of proceeds of crime.

D’arcy Payne was also charged with three counts of breach of recognizance stemming from an RCMP investigation that took place in Sturgeon County for similar offences.

Back in November 2016, Mounties seized methamphetamine, cocaine and GHB with a street value of more than $250,000 from a rural residence near Bon Accord and arrested the same couple.

Mounties also recovered stolen property believed to be worth more than $100,000, including two trucks, three enclosed trailers, a holiday trailer, a motorbike and a Honda generator.

They also nabbed a stolen handgun, Tasers, brass knuckles and crossbows.

Another man, Kiel Schreiner, who was 33 at the time, was also charged with possession of a prohibited weapon.

Westlock is located about 90 kilometres north of Edmonton. Bon Accord is located about 40 kilometres north of Edmonton