An alleged fentanyl dealer in the Lakeland has been nabbed by the Mounties after a traffic stop..On Saturday, around 3 a.m., the Mounties were on patrol in Vermilion and observed a vehicle fail to obey a stop sign..The Mounties pulled over the driver and initiated an investigation which initially revealed the lone male occupant had an outstanding warrant and a suspended licence..Further investigation by the Mounties determined the male had provided a false name, was breaching his conditions, had numerous warrants, and there was a large quantity of suspected methamphetamine located within the vehicle..As a result of the investigation, Gilbert James Hunter, 47, a resident of Elk Point, Alberta, was arrested with 87 outstanding warrants..In addition to the new offences he was charged with the following:.Possession of suspected methamphetamine for the purpose of traffickingPossession of suspected fentanyl for the purpose of traffickingObstructing a police officerIdentity theftFailure to comply with a release order (2 counts)Failure to obey a stop sign.Hunter was held for a judicial interim release hearing. Following the hearing, Hunter was remanded into custody with a court set for June 6, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Lloydminster..“This went from a traffic stop for a simple stop sign infraction to a suspended driver with a warrant to then becoming a full-fledged drug trafficking investigation," said Sgt. Corey Buckingham the, Vermilion RCMP detachment commander.."The officers involved did an excellent job to not only conduct the traffic stop in the first place but then continue to transition into subsequent investigations leading to this outcome. Another job well done. Further investigation will take place to confirm the suspected drugs and confirm the trafficking offences.”.Vermilion is a town in central Alberta in the Lakeland that is surrounded by the County of Vermilion River and is approximately 60 kms west of Lloydminster.
