Pubdate: Mon, 26 Jul 2004
Source: Clipper Weekly, The (CN MB)
Copyright: 2004 The Clipper Weekly.
Contact:  http://www.clipper.mb.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2370
Author: Brad James-Thiessen
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

COCAINE SEIZED IN LAC DU BONNET

RCMP in Lac du Bonnet seized a small quantity of cocaine from a vehicle on 
July15th.

Lac du Bonnet Staff Sergeant Mel Mitchell said the vehicle was checked in 
the downtown area of Lac du Bonnet. According to Mitchell, three occupants 
of the vehicle were behaving in a suspicious manner and that led the member 
to conduct a search of the vehicle.

Approximately 1/8th of an ounce of cocaine was seized in addition to 
marijuana buds. The three occupants of the vehicle, one male and two 
females are approximately 20 years of age and are all from the local area.

Staff Sgt. Mitchell said while not common, cocaine seizures do take place a 
number of times each year in the local area.

"Those types of drugs are now into every area in Canada there are hard 
drugs in every nook and cranny in every community now we either seize it or 
hear of it a number of times each year (in the Lac du Bonnet area)," he said.

The seizures are typically smaller amounts, similar to the seizure on July 
15th, explained Mitchell.

The matter is still currently under investigation and no charges have been 
laid to this point.

Mitchell said while cocaine does not appear to be widely used in the local 
area, parents and their children need to be aware of the fact that it is 
available.

"The main issue is that these harder drugs are available so parents have to 
watch out and so do the kids," he cautioned.

Mitchell said it is difficult to know where the harder drugs are 
originating from.

"There could be some selling going on (locally), but that's a difficult 
thing to put your finger on unless you have someone charged," he added.

According to the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba, 3.8% of all Canadians 
age 15 and over report using cocaine at some point in their lives, and 0.7% 
report use in the past year.

In a 1997 survey of high school students in Manitoba, 5.5% of students 
reported having used cocaine or crack in the last 12 months. This is a 2.1% 
increase over reported use in 1993.

According to data reported in the Costs of Substance Abuse in Manitoba, 
cocaine abuse is one of the top four illicit drug-related diagnoses leading 
to hospitalization in this province.
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