INNISFAIL – An infamous Innisfail property long associated with criminal activity was shuttered Tuesday for 90 days by court order.
The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) unit of the Alberta Sheriffs obtained a community safety order in Court of King’s Bench barring all people from 4127 49A Avenue until the closure period ends on June 9, 2025, an Alberta Sheriffs press release issued Tuesday said.
“SCAN’s closure of this notorious property is a huge win for the residents of Innisfail,” Mike Ellis, the minister of Alberta Public Safety and Emergency Services, stated in a prepared statement included with the release.
The SCAN unit operates under the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, which uses legal sanctions and court orders to hold owners accountable for illegal activity happening on their property.
Eleven SCAN investigators as well as RCMP members were noted by the Albertan to be at the property Tuesday enacting the court order.
Work to secure the property by boarding the house, changing locks up as well erecting perimeter fencing continued into the afternoon.
Since May 16, 2023, sheriffs say SCAN received four complaints related to drug and criminal activity occurring at the property.
Complaints about the property have been ongoing for years.
Innisfail RCMP members attended the property 53 times for various calls for service between February 2022 and July 2024, Alberta Sheriffs noted.
Last year alone, RCMP executed three search warrants at the residence, searching for both stolen property and drugs.
In June 2024, Innisfail RCMP members executed a search warrant at the property under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.
“The search uncovered evidence indicating the property was frequently used for drug-related activities, including scales, torches and small baggies,” Alberta Sheriffs said.
SCAN investigators served a warning letter to the property owner on July 16, 2024 but complaints about the property continued.
By November 14, 2024, Alberta Sheriffs said complainants contacted the primary investigator more than 60 times about suspected illegal activity occurring at the property.
Now that the property has been closed, SCAN members will continue to monitor the property for activity while their investigation remains ongoing.
