Several Alberta communities were involved in a year-long investigation into a human trafficking operation that stretched across Canada.
Led by the Alberta Law Enforcement Response Teams’ (ALERT) Human Trafficking unit, the investigation knows as Project Endgame has “revealed a cross-Canada network of sex trafficking that has been in operation for over a decade.”
“The perpetrators allegedly controlled the victims through coercion by forcing them to perform multiple sex acts on multiple clients every day. If the victims questioned the traffickers or disputed the situation, they were often violently assaulted, degraded, and/or threatened of further loss, violence and isolation,” according to an ALERT media release.
While a number of human trafficking victims were located, ALERT believes there are additional victims and is encouraging them to contact police.
“ALERT’s investigation saw the perpetrators work in the communities of Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver, Lloydminster, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray, Cold Lake and Estevan, Sask.”
Arrests and search warrants were conducted in Edmonton, Montreal and Red Deer with a total of 23 charges related to human trafficking offences laid. Clyde Elien-Abbot, 31, was arrested Jan. 31 in Edmonton while Kevin Dorcelus-Cetoute, 31, and Jean Rodnil Dubois, 31, were arrested on July 23, 2024. All three accused are from Montreal.
“Elien-Abbot remains in custody and has a bail hearing scheduled for February 19, 2025. Dorcelus-Cetoute and Dubois were both released from custody and are scheduled to appear in court on March 7, 2025,” according to the ALERT information provided.
In addition to ALERT, Project Endgame involved resources from the Edmonton Police Service, RCMP and a Quebec joint forces anti-pimping team.
“Project Endgame exhausted all resources and avenues to bring charges against the suspects and end this cycle of sexualized violence and degradation,” said Staff Sergeant Chris Hayes of ALERT.
“Project Endgame began in May 2023, following a 911 call placed to police detailing a sex worker being violently assaulted. The investigation has connections to a 2021 ALERT human trafficking investigation in which Dorcelus-Cetoute was charged.”
Established in 2006 by the Government of Alberta, ALERT works with municipal police forces and RCMP to investigate criminal activity including drug trafficking, child exploitation and gang violence.
