A 22-year-old resident of Wheatland County was charged with 17 offences after police responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle parked off of a rural roadway on Township road 244 East of Highway 21 on December 29, 2022.

When police arrived, the vehicle appeared unoccupied however upon approach a male occupant was found sleeping in the driver seat.

"A scale and a baggie with a white substance were also visible from the outside of the vehicle. The occupant was arrested and removed from the vehicle. While removing the male occupant, a .22 calibre handgun was noticed on the driver's floorboard," a police release stated.

The handgun was later confirmed to have been stolen in a 2013 rural break-in near Cochrane.

When the man was taken into custody a more thorough search of the vehicle was conducted where another loaded 9mm handgun was found in a satchel on the passenger seat. Additional items that were seized included:

  • 1.4 grams of a substance believed to be cocaine in a clear bag with an estimated street value of $140;
  • 4.8 grams of a substance believed to be cocaine in a pink bag with an estimated street value of $480;
  • 52 grams of light blue pills believed to be fentanyl with an estimated street value of $10,400; and
  • 30 grams of what is believed to be a cutting agent.

The suspect was taken to the Strathmore Detachment and was found to be impaired by cannabis. Oussama Moumi is facing a multitude of charges including three counts of possession of a weapon dangerous to the public, two counts of careless use/storage of a firearm, two counts of possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm, two counts of possession of a firearm without a license, two counts of occupying a motor vehicle Knowing a firearm was present, two counts of possession of a loaded prohibited firearm, two counts of trafficking in a controlled substance (cocaine and fentanyl), possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, as well as possession of a firearm while prohibited from doing so.

Staff Sergeant Mark Wielgosz – Detachment Commander Strathmore RCMP-GRC thanked the individual who reported the suspicious activity.

"In this case, a simple report led to an arrest, seizure of firearms one of which was linked to a theft in Cochrane, and seizure of dangerous substances capable of untold harm. Reporting suspicious activity is of great assistance in keeping our communities safe which was evidenced in this investigation"

Moumi was remanded and issued an Immediate Roadside Sanction for impairment by a drug. He remains in custody at this time. 

RCMP