A 19-year-old Calgary man is facing multiple firearms-related charges after provincial law enforcement officers seized two illegal handguns from a vehicle in the city's northeast. The Alberta Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) recovered the weapons on April 16 during a search of a vehicle in northeast Calgary, with assistance from the Calgary Police Service, which also searched two residential locations in the area.
According to ALERT, one of the handguns had its serial number defaced, while the other was previously reported as stolen in Manitoba. Inside the vehicle, officers also found magazines, ammunition, and shell casings. The Calgary Police Service Forensic Firearms Lab will analyze the illicit handguns and shell casings to determine if they were used in any other crimes.
Arrest and Charges
One person was arrested as part of an organized crime investigation based on information received regarding firearms activity. Ikjot Sidhu, 19, faces a range of weapons charges, including possession of a restricted firearm and prohibited device; unauthorized possession of a firearm in a vehicle; and carrying a concealed weapon. He also faces charges of possessing a firearm with ammunition; possessing a firearm obtained by crime; careless use of a firearm; and possessing a firearm with an altered serial number.
Sidhu was released from custody and is scheduled to appear in court on May 29.
ALERT's Role
“Gun violence is a serious public safety issue that impacts Calgary and other communities across the province,” ALERT Staff Sgt. Ryan Smart said in a news release. “ALERT works closely with our partners at the Calgary Police Service to share intelligence and take illegal firearms off the street.”
ALERT is funded by the Alberta government and includes a compilation of the province’s most sophisticated law enforcement resources committed to tackling serious and organized crime.
