SASKATOON – A Bjorkdale man remains behind bars a year after skipping bail on drug trafficking and weapons charges, and while out, accumulating additional drug trafficking and weapons charges.
Fifty-five-year-old Rudi Alexander Betthel is back in Saskatoon court June 28. He was re-arrested in March 2022 following a joint operation involving the RCMP gang unit, the RCMP Warrant Enforcement Suppression Team, and Greenwater RCMP. The operation targeted a home in Archerwill. Betthel had been wanted by Tisdale RCMP for his involvement in weapons and drug offenses. At the time, there was also a bench warrant for his arrest after he had failed to appear in court for previous weapons and drug offences stemming from April 2021 in Saskatoon and Bjorkdale.
When Betthel was re-apprehended following the raid on an Archerwill home, police seized an illegally modified firearm, machete, Tazer, knife, other weapons and ammunition, methamphetamine, LSD, OxyContin and other pills, and a sum of cash. Archerwill is about 70 kilometres southeast of Melfort.
In that raid, 39-year-old Holly Schweitzer was also arrested and charged with about seven drug trafficking and weapons-related offences. Her trial was held in Rose Valley Circuit Court May 13 – 14 and continues June 14.
In April 2021, Betthel was arrested during a Saskatoon traffic stop by the Saskatoon Police Service Tactical Support Unit. Police say Betthel was driving and allegedly had a significant amount of methamphetamine, Fentanyl, cocaine and related drug paraphernalia in his possession. Following the traffic stop, police executed search warrants at residences in Saskatoon and Bjorkdale and seized firearms, methamphetamine, ketamine, hydromorphone and additional drug paraphernalia.
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