Pubdate: Thu, 26 May 2005
Source: Nelson Daily News (CN BC)
Section: Pg 3
Copyright: 2005 Nelson Daily News
Contact:  http://www.nelsondailynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/288
Author: Raymond Masleck
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

WAR ON POT WORKING IN TRAIL AREA SAY COMMUNITY LEADERS

CRIME: Acting on a community outcry for a crackdown on commercial grow 
operations, Greater Trail RCMP have been getting the job done

A raid on a marijuana growing operation in Fruitvale last week was the 20th 
drug-related search warrant executed by the Greater Trail RCMP in the past 
six months, but there is still lots more work to do, according to Staff 
Sgt. Nick Romanchuk.

The drug enforcement operations have resulted in more than 10,000 plants 
and 50 pounds of dried marijuana being seized, as well as some cocaine.

The war on pot was developed out of community consultations in which "we 
were told loud and clear that organized criminal activity, and in 
particular the drug trade, was to be treated as a priority," Romanchuk said.

"The vast majority of the marijuana grow operations we have seized have 
been large-scale, commercial operations capable of producing tremendous 
profits for those running the operations."

They present "numerous risks," such as fires from over-taxed, jerry-rigged 
electrical systems; firearms possession; and the type of violent criminals 
such lucrative illegal activity attracts.

"(The detachment) is committed to continue targeting the local drug trade 
and, although we have shown considerable success in the recent past, there 
is still a lot of work to be done."

Trail Mayor Dieter Bogs agreed that the drug trade "came forward as a major 
issue" when local councils met with the RCMP late last year.

"It was the Number 1 issue identified by the communities," Bogs said.

The alarm bells were raised by senior RCMP officials at the Union of B.C. 
Municipalities convention in Whistler last fall where local politicians 
were told that organized crime is well entrenched in this province and 
growing, with the focus on the drug trade.

"There is evidence that we are getting these same activities in Trail," 
Bogs said.

But council is also concerned about other, more mundane policing issues 
such as vandalism, break-ins and petty theft.

"People have been accosted downtown by young people under the influence of 
alcohol and multiple drugs," Bogs said.  "We are concerned about how our 
young people are being affected by these drugs."

Asked if policing and other programs focused on youth problems might be a 
better use of resources than chasing suppliers, he acknowledged that drug 
use "is a social problem and something council can't close its eyes to."

Bogs said he "feels bad" that the city doesn't have either a youth centre 
or a skateboard park, two youth-oriented projects that have been discussed 
in recent years.

Romanchuk insisted that the focus on drugs has not taken away from other 
areas of policing.

"We are targeting marijuana growing operations but we are also able to deal 
with other problems."

Rossland council's drug concerns have had more to do with youth consumption 
of harder drugs such as crystal methamphetamine and cocaine said councillor 
Gordon Smith.

"Drug use is a problem, but we have focused more on the dangerous drugs 
that cause a lot of social damage to individuals and families."

Council worked with the RCMP and the school district on setting up a 
"drug-free zone" around Rossland Secondary and stepping up enforcement at 
that level.

"I haven't heard any concerns about grow-ops," Smith said.

"What we are hearing, from business owners in particular, is that there is 
an increase in vandalism, theft and (break-and enters)."

Council has been talking to the RCMP about these concerns but because 
resources are scarce," is trying to get Community Watch and community 
policing programs going.

A lot of these issues were also raised by Trail business owners in a recent 
survey done by the city, Bogs said.

Trail council is meeting with the RCMP later this week to discuss ways of 
dealing with problems downtown, he added.
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