Three owners of a convenience store in Edmonton are facing a host of charges after weapons and over $200,000 in cash were recovered from their place of business.
Bahabelom Baraki, age 29, Biniam Gebremichael, age 29, and Kokob Nguse, age 26, have been charged by police with tobacco trafficking, fraud over $5,000, possession for the purpose of weapons trafficking, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000. The three owners are also facing six charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
A spokesperson for the Edmonton Police Service told True North that all three accused are residents of Edmonton.
“All weapons seized are believed to be obtained legally, except for any weapons that are prohibited in Canada (e.g. butterfly knives). The legally obtained weapons were still considered dangerous to the public due to the way in which the weapons were being stored and used,” said the spokesperson.
The weapons recovered by police included expandable batons and a large machete. Over $200,000 in cash was recovered, along with 28,000 illegal cigarettes, which the Edmonton Police Service said equated to more than $8,500 in tax avoidance.
Fentanyl, crystal meth, and cocaine were also recovered from the convenience store with a total estimated street value of around $35,000.
Constable Michael Davis with the Edmonton Police Service’s Crime Suppression Branch said that a trend of convenience stores selling drug paraphernalia, illegal drugs, weapons, and contraband tobacco is beginning to develop.
“This is turning convenience stores into a one-stop-shop for drug abusers and traffickers. It’s threatening the safety of Chinatown and is tarnishing its cultural identity and vibrancy in Edmonton,” said Davis.
The investigation began in early July 2024 by Alberta Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis (AGLC), which resulted in the Edmonton Police Service eventually obtaining a search warrant for the store.
Members of the Edmonton Police Service’s Healthy Streets Operations Centre executed the search warrant on July 19, where they uncovered the controlled substances, drug paraphernalia, and a large amount of cash.
