The Priority Crimes Task Force in central Alberta has put the brakes on a drug operation in Sylvan Lake.

Last week officers searched 4 homes in the resort community on Lindsay Avenue, 47th Street, Ryders Ridge Boulevard and Richfield Crescent.

They seized cocaine, oxycodone and what is believed to be hydromorphone, much of it packaged for individual sale.

Along with it police also seized two shotguns, a rifle, a loaded handgun and about 2 thousand rounds of ammo.

Red Deer RCMP Superintendent Ken Foster says we're seeing more weapons and ammunition right across the province and they're working as hard as they can to keep our communities safe.

“People responsible for crime in Red Deer and the central Alberta area are small, but they are responsible for a large amount of the crime.  What you see behind me certainly is a significant amount of weaponry and ammunition that is certainly dangerous to the police and public safety, but I think it’s probably the tip of the iceberg.  These folks are dealing with this sort of stuff daily and there is not a week that goes by that we don’t seize firearms, ammunition and drugs”.

The seizure was the result of a roughly 2 month investigation by the Priority Crimes Task Force and Foster says they will continue to work together to stamp out crime.

“We’re working as hard as we can and as strategically as we can to do the best for our communities to keep it safe and if you’re in that kind of work, if you’re a criminal, the economy is picking up, go get a job and you don’t have to look behind you”.

2 men and 2 women are facing charges, 38 year old David Docherty, 55 year old Arthur Doyle, 55 year old Elizabeth Grant and 29 year old Beverly MacSween.