Strathmore RCMP along with various partner organizations, have made a large seizure following the execution of a search warrant at a rural property in Rocky View County.
On Monday, July 10 at approximately 10 a.m., Strathmore RCMP General Investigation Section (GIS) with the Rocky View County enhanced policing member executed a search warrant at a rural property on Glenmore View Road in Rocky View County.
“This search, seizure, and arrest of involved individuals was a result of the cumulative work of our General Investigation Section and Enhanced Rocky View County position to remove contraband products from our communities,” said Strathmore RCMP Detachment Commander Staff Sergeant Mark Wielgosz.
The search was aided by the RCMP Emergency Response Team, Strathmore General Duty members, Drumheller RCMP GIS, and an Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC) investigator).
The search resulted in the arrest of three individuals and seizure of but not limited to:
Four firearms consisting of a rifle, shotgun, carbine style rifle, and an automatic carbine style rifle with an extended capacity magazine and silencer;
Ammunition;
328 cartons, or approximately 65,600 illegal cigarettes;
150 packages of edible Cannabis products each containing milligrams of THC (as printed on the label);
Approximately 1,000 illegal Cannabis cigarettes;
Approximately three litres of what is believed to be liquid THC;
Approximately 150 grams of Psilocybin (mushrooms);
Approximately 50 grams of dried Cannabis;
More than 300 grams of suspected Cannabis Hash product;
Several boxes of Cannabis vaping devices; and
More than $5,000 in cash.
A 40 year old male, 30 year old female, and another 24 year old female, all residents of Rocky View County, were transported to the Strathmore Detachment. All were interviewed and released to appear on a later date at the Alberta Court of Justice in Strathmore to face several charges including but not limited to:
Unsafe Storage of a Firearm X 4;
Possession of a Prohibited Firearm or Device X 6;
Unlawful Possession of Cannabis;
Possession of Cannabis for the Purpose of Trafficking;
Sell, Transport, or Possession of Contraband Tobacco;
Possession of Psilocybin;
Fraud over $5,000;
Possession of more than 1,200 cigarettes not marked for tax or paid sale (Tobacco Tax Act);
Possession of more than 2,000 grams of tobacco (Tobacco Tax Act); and
Possess or sell more than 1,000 cigarettes (Tobacco Tax Act).
The investigation is ongoing and more charges may be laid as a result.

The Leonhardt family held its family reunion over the weekend, July 7 to 9, at the Verdant Valley Community Centre. A total of 207 family members were in attendance, with the furthest attendees coming from Toronto, and some from Chicago. Normally, the family gets together every five years, though this reunion was postponed an additional three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and celebrates the Leonhardt family legacy as one of the first families in the Drumheller area to homestead. The Leonhardt family can trace their direct family history back to the 1700s where Konrad Leonhardt left the Frankfurt area in Germany and emigrated to Russia during the time of Catherine the Great; during this period, German settlements were encouraged along the Volga River, and for over 150 years the Leonhardt family farmed and lived in the village of Grimm in Russia before oppressive political conditions prompted them to make the difficult decision to leave everything behind and come to North America. The family spent some time in Chicago before making their way north to Canada. Today, three family members from the first generation of Leonhardts to make their way from Europe to Canada remain—Ron Leonhardt, Shirley Davidson, and Eleanor Richmond; there are five surviving branches of the family, with one branch still in Chicago. During the reunion, the family enjoyed a family heritage treasure hunt among many other outdoor activities, as well as just enjoying catching up and renewing ties. Family trees from the various branches of the family were on display, as well as photo albums and posters with family photos. Each family wore different colours to represent the various branches of the family tree (l-r) in red were descendents of Jacob Leonhardt, in yellow the descendants of Amelia (Leonhardt) Salzman, in green the descendants of Julius Leonhardt, and in blue the descendents of Alex Leonhardt.