Alberta is ramping up efforts to combat illegal cross-border activity with the deployment of a new Interdiction Patrol Team (IPT) and additional security measures along the Alberta-Montana border.
The province announced in December 2024 that it would spend $29 million to create the IPT within the Alberta Sheriffs, aiming to crack down on drug trafficking, human smuggling, and other illicit activities.
The first group of officers has now been deployed, with hiring ongoing to fill all 51 positions. So far, 20 officers are actively patrolling areas between border entry points and vehicle inspection stations.
Premier Danielle Smith emphasized the province’s commitment to strengthening security, including launching the new patrol team, increasing highway monitoring, and constructing three vehicle inspection stations.
Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors has allocated $15 million over two years to build these stations, pending the approval of Budget 2025.
They will be located at Dunmore, Burmis, and Coutts, enhancing screening of commercial vehicles crossing the border.
Public Safety Minister Mike Ellis warned traffickers, particularly those dealing in fentanyl, that they “will get caught and will go to jail.”
Alberta has also equipped the IPT with new tools, including drones, night-vision optics, and drug-sniffing dogs, to enhance its ability to detect and intercept illegal activity.
In addition to law enforcement efforts, highway maintenance workers contracted by Volker Stevin will be trained to identify and report suspicious activity, adding an extra layer of security without increasing costs.
The province has also amended the Critical Infrastructure Defence Regulation to include a two-kilometre-deep border zone, giving peace officers greater authority to arrest trespassers or those interfering with essential infrastructure.
Since becoming operational, the IPT has conducted over 3,300 stops, assisted with four unauthorized border crossings, executed 18 warrants, and made three arrests related to drug trafficking.
The team is expected to be fully operational in the coming months as hiring and equipment acquisition continue.