Merritt pair charged, drugs and weapons seized after Alberta traffic stop

A pair of Merritt residents are facing multiple trafficking charges after Alberta RCMP officers found drugs and weapons in their truck last week.

On Aug. 27, Alberta RCMP say an officer patrolling in Hinton – located about 80 km east of Jasper – carried out a traffic stop on the two men in the truck.

In a news release issued Tuesday (Sept. 1), RCMP say the driver claimed he didn’t have a license. It was determined the driver was under court conditions not to drive, and both men were under a lifetime firearm and ammunition ban.

RCMP say a search of the truck led to the seizure of:

• a nine-millimetre Hi-point prohibited rifle

• a box containing nine-millimetre ammunition

• $19,840 in packaged cash

• 114 grams of fentanyl

• 33.8 grams of methamphetamine

• 88.6 grams of cocaine

• a throwing star

• drug trafficking paraphernalia

Following the search, 52-year-old Jarry Desjarlais and 53-year-old Ernest Loos of Merritt were charged with three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking. They were also charged with possession of a prohibited firearm and weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm and/or ammunition while prohibited and possession of property obtained by crime of over $5,000. Loos was also charged with failure to comply with release order.

RCMP say Desjarlais and Loos remain in custody. Loos and Desjarlais are scheduled to appear in the Alberta Court of Justice in Hinton on Tuesday and Wednesday (Sept. 2), respectively.