The St. Albert drug unit arrested two Edmonton men and seized cash, cocaine and a Ford Explorer in two separate investigations earlier this month.

Michael Royal Dickson, 31, was arrested on July 11 and has been charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine, one count of possession for the purposes of trafficking in cocaine, one count of simple possession of marijuana, one count of obstruction and a count of possession of the proceeds of crime.

In the investigation that culminated in Dickson’s arrest, police seized 13 and a half grams of cocaine, $491 in cash and the vehicle.

On July 18, police arrested Brian Arthur Webster, 22, and charged him with two counts of trafficking in cocaine and one count of possession of the proceeds of crime.

In that investigation officers seized two grams of cocaine and $120 cash.

Both investigations saw the unit target “dial-a-dope” operations. Const. M.J. Burrows with the St. Albert RCMP said that is a type of drug dealing where dealers bring drugs to people who have phoned them and essentially made orders.

“He is not really dealing drugs out of a certain location, out of a house or a business. He sort of comes to you to a place in the community,” she said. “It is easier to move around, less attraction to one place.”

The drug unit is still encouraging residents to call their drug tip line, 780-460-3784, to provide information.

“The drug tip line is one of their ways of getting great information to do investigations,” said Burrows.

Both men in this case have been released on a cash bail and will make their first court appearance on Aug. 20.

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