Calgary resident Duane Phillips, 50, appeared in the Alberta Court of Justice in Cochrane on May 6, 2025, following a major joint investigation that led to his arrest just days earlier.
Phillips and a 38-year-old woman, whose identity is currently being withheld pending sworn information, face numerous charges including:
- Possession for the purpose of trafficking (fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone);
- Possession of proceeds and property obtained by crime;
- Possession of identity documents;
- Production and possession of counterfeit currency.
The charges stem from a two-month drug trafficking investigation led by the Alberta RCMP Community Response Team and Cochrane Crime Reduction Unit (CRU). The operation culminated in the May 1 arrest of the suspects at Sunridge Mall in Calgary, with support from the Calgary Police Tactical Unit.
Following the arrests, investigators executed three search warrants on:
- A 2020 Chevrolet Malibu;
- A residence in Livingston, Calgary;
- An apartment in Livingston, Calgary.
The searches yielded a significant haul of illicit substances, weapons, and fraudulent materials, including:
- 271 grams of fentanyl
- 20 grams of methamphetamine
- 22 oxycodone pills
- One prohibited firearm and ammunition
- $6,852 in counterfeit Canadian currency
- 60 fraudulent documents
- Document production equipment (computers, printers, scanner, embosser)
- Cell phones, scales, and score sheets linked to drug trafficking
The extensive operation involved cooperation between multiple agencies, including:
- RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region
- Sheriff Investigative Support Unit Surveillance Team
- Calgary Police Service
- Airdrie RCMP
- Cochrane RCMP
In addition to the joint charges, Phillips faces multiple firearms-related offences and prohibitions, while the female suspect has been charged with five counts of failing to comply with a release order.
She has been released and is scheduled to appear in Stony Plain court on June 24, 2025.
