Calgary Police
CALGARY, Alta. – A 44-year-old man is facing multiple drug and weapons-related charges following an extensive investigation by the Calgary Police Service (CPS) into an overdose death earlier this year.
The investigation began in January 2026, when a man was found deceased in his Coral Springs residence due to a drug overdose. In March, investigators received information suggesting a specific individual may have sold drugs to the victim.
On Wednesday, April 22, 2026, officers executed a search warrant at a home in the 2500 block of 49 Avenue S.E. The search yielded a significant quantity of illicit drugs, including approximately 151.9 grams of hydromorphone, 7.5 grams of methamphetamine, and 6.6 grams of fentanyl.
Police also recovered a stolen e-bike valued at over $9,000 from the residence. The bike has since been returned to its rightful owner.
One man was arrested at the scene. Jesse Kabatoff, 44, of Calgary, has been charged with four counts of drug trafficking, five counts of possession of property obtained by crime, three counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking, and breach of a release order.
Kabatoff is scheduled to appear in court on June 2, 2026.
Insufficient evidence for overdose charge
While the investigation linked drug traffickers to the deceased, police stated there is insufficient evidence to lay charges directly related to the January overdose death. However, the evidence uncovered helped identify traffickers who had previous contact with the victim, prompting the raid.
The investigation remains ongoing, and additional stolen property and drug-related charges are pending.
About the DISC Team
The case was handled by the CPS’s Drug Investigations for Safer Communities (DISC) Team, a specialized unit formalized in 2025 following a successful pilot project launched in 2023.
The DISC Team focuses on targeting drug traffickers responsible for supplying substances that lead to overdose deaths, as well as combating the sale of illicit drugs online. The unit works closely with the existing Drug Undercover Street Team (DUST) to conduct these investigations.
Anyone with information about drug trafficking is urged to contact Calgary police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
