Lethbridge Drug Network Dismantled in $2.5M Organised Crime Bust
| 2025-06-19
Alberta police arrest nine in major drug trafficking and money laundering case, seizing $2.5M in assets and over 5kg of cocaine in Project Leadline.
Alberta police arrest nine in major drug trafficking and money laundering case, seizing $2.5M in assets and over 5kg of cocaine in Project Leadline.
A sweeping two-year investigation into organised crime in Alberta has resulted in the dismantling of a large-scale drug trafficking network operating out of Lethbridge and the town of Taber.
Known as Project Leadline, the investigation was led by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) based in Lethbridge, with support from the Taber Police Service, Lethbridge Police Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The initiative was launched in April 2023 and culminated in a series of arrests and asset seizures beginning on 29 April 2025.
Authorities have charged nine individuals with a total of 63 offences, including participation in a criminal organisation, drug trafficking, conspiracy, and money laundering. Of those, four suspects have been taken into custody, while arrest warrants have been issued for the remaining five.
Drugs, Firearms and Cash Seized
Police searches carried out at three properties in Taber uncovered substantial quantities of controlled substances and drug-related paraphernalia. Among the seized items were:
• Over 5 kilograms of cocaine
• More than 1 kilogram of a suspected cocaine cutting agent
• 22 grams of fentanyl
• 253 grams and 500 pills of methamphetamine
• 1,000 millilitres of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
• Two firearms
• CAD 91,941 in cash
In addition to these items, authorities have restrained seven residential properties located in Lethbridge and nearby Coalhurst, along with eight bank accounts. The total value of the restrained assets exceeds CAD 2.5 million, which investigators believe to be proceeds from criminal activity.
Suspects Identified
Four individuals have been arrested as part of the operation:
• Duc Vo, 47, of Lethbridge
• Nga (Linda) Vo, 45, of Lethbridge
• Chantal Bareman, 40, of Taber
• Ryden Melhalf, 20, of Taber
Five suspects remain at large. Arrest warrants have been issued for:
• Johan Braun-Suderman, 38, of Taber
• Kade Phillips, 36, of Taber
• Gerhard Wolf, 38, of Taber
• Malachy Young, 23, of Taber
• A 19-year-old, whose name is withheld due to protections under Canada’s Youth Criminal Justice Act
Police have asked members of the public with information about the whereabouts of the wanted individuals to contact local authorities or provide anonymous tips via Crime Stoppers.
International and Interagency Cooperation
Project Leadline involved coordination with multiple agencies across Canada and the United States. These included the Canada Border Services Agency, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the RCMP’s National Weapons Enforcement Support Team, and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), which assists in tracking illicit financial flows.
Specialist support was also provided by the Forensic Accounting Management Group and the Seized Property Management Directorate, both of which are part of the federal government’s anti-money laundering infrastructure.
Context
Drug trafficking and money laundering are considered serious criminal threats across Canada. ALERT, a provincial integrated policing initiative, is tasked with combating organised crime through multi-agency collaboration. Its mandate includes disrupting gang operations, targeting large-scale drug production and distribution, and seizing criminal assets.
According to Canadian law, any property suspected to be the proceeds of crime can be restrained or forfeited following legal proceedings. Law enforcement agencies increasingly rely on financial intelligence and forensic accounting to follow the money trails of criminal networks.
Authorities have urged residents to report suspected gang or drug activity in their communities, reaffirming that tips submitted to Crime Stoppers remain anonymous.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Known as Project Leadline, the investigation was led by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams (ALERT) based in Lethbridge, with support from the Taber Police Service, Lethbridge Police Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The initiative was launched in April 2023 and culminated in a series of arrests and asset seizures beginning on 29 April 2025.
Authorities have charged nine individuals with a total of 63 offences, including participation in a criminal organisation, drug trafficking, conspiracy, and money laundering. Of those, four suspects have been taken into custody, while arrest warrants have been issued for the remaining five.
Drugs, Firearms and Cash Seized
Police searches carried out at three properties in Taber uncovered substantial quantities of controlled substances and drug-related paraphernalia. Among the seized items were:
• Over 5 kilograms of cocaine
• More than 1 kilogram of a suspected cocaine cutting agent
• 22 grams of fentanyl
• 253 grams and 500 pills of methamphetamine
• 1,000 millilitres of gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB)
• Two firearms
• CAD 91,941 in cash
In addition to these items, authorities have restrained seven residential properties located in Lethbridge and nearby Coalhurst, along with eight bank accounts. The total value of the restrained assets exceeds CAD 2.5 million, which investigators believe to be proceeds from criminal activity.
Suspects Identified
Four individuals have been arrested as part of the operation:
• Duc Vo, 47, of Lethbridge
• Nga (Linda) Vo, 45, of Lethbridge
• Chantal Bareman, 40, of Taber
• Ryden Melhalf, 20, of Taber
Five suspects remain at large. Arrest warrants have been issued for:
• Johan Braun-Suderman, 38, of Taber
• Kade Phillips, 36, of Taber
• Gerhard Wolf, 38, of Taber
• Malachy Young, 23, of Taber
• A 19-year-old, whose name is withheld due to protections under Canada’s Youth Criminal Justice Act
Police have asked members of the public with information about the whereabouts of the wanted individuals to contact local authorities or provide anonymous tips via Crime Stoppers.
International and Interagency Cooperation
Project Leadline involved coordination with multiple agencies across Canada and the United States. These included the Canada Border Services Agency, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the RCMP’s National Weapons Enforcement Support Team, and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), which assists in tracking illicit financial flows.
Specialist support was also provided by the Forensic Accounting Management Group and the Seized Property Management Directorate, both of which are part of the federal government’s anti-money laundering infrastructure.
Context
Drug trafficking and money laundering are considered serious criminal threats across Canada. ALERT, a provincial integrated policing initiative, is tasked with combating organised crime through multi-agency collaboration. Its mandate includes disrupting gang operations, targeting large-scale drug production and distribution, and seizing criminal assets.
According to Canadian law, any property suspected to be the proceeds of crime can be restrained or forfeited following legal proceedings. Law enforcement agencies increasingly rely on financial intelligence and forensic accounting to follow the money trails of criminal networks.
Authorities have urged residents to report suspected gang or drug activity in their communities, reaffirming that tips submitted to Crime Stoppers remain anonymous.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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