Pubdate: Thu, 19 Jan 2006
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Sandra McCulloch
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/raids.htm (Drug Raids)

POLICE SWOOP DOWN ON DRUG DEALERS

Sergeant Claims 'Big Dent' In Downtown Trade With 20 Arrests, But 
Others Skeptical Of Cleanup

In a bid to clear downtown Victoria of street-level drug dealers, 
police announced Wednesday the arrest of 20 people and that warrants 
have been issued for 17 more. The crackdown is part of Operation 
Combined Effort where police relied partly on downtown business 
people to target drug dealers.

Two dozen police officers were part of the four-week undercover 
operation, Victoria police said.

But a Victoria defence lawyer suggests that any effects of the 
cleanup will be short-lived because the root of the problem is drug 
addiction. "These people are without exception drug addicts 
themselves," said Mike Mulligan.

"They were able to arrest 37 of the lowest of the low drug dealers 
but there will be 37 other people taking their place immediately," 
said Mulligan. "I would be most surprised if things are any different 
two weeks from now."

Charges were laid against 37 people, 33 of them males. Four juveniles 
were among those charged. A total of 64 charges were laid against the 
individuals, with 45 charges related to drugs.

Undercover police made 32 purchases of cocaine, four of marijuana and 
one of LSD. Police targeted the area where traffickers gather on 
Douglas Street near Johnson or Yates streets. Some traffickers were 
staying out of downtown in an apparent attempt to evade police, said 
Sgt. Jamie Pearce.

Some were selling drugs within a few metres of undercover police 
officers, said Pearce who called the arrests "a very big dent" in the 
downtown drug trade.

Street-level drug traffickers are a target for police because they 
are a problem for shopkeepers downtown, said acting Insp. Les Sylven. 
"The business community has been telling us and from what we've seen, 
the problem is the street-level drug traffickers," he said. "We got 
them out of the area and we think it will have a significant effect 
on the perception of public safety down there."

If the accused are convicted on trafficking charges, the police will 
ask the courts to ban them from a "red zone" in the downtown area, 
defined as Pandora Avenue to the water below Wharf Street and 
Belleville Street to Vancouver Street.

Pearce called the red zone "the best solution that we have at this 
time. It does give us the teeth that if these people do come 
downtown, they'll be immediately arrested."

Pierre Gauthier, manager of the Odeon movie theatre, said drug sweeps 
so far haven't had a lasting impact.

"It's a very complex problem but the police are trying. These people 
down there, where are they going to go?

"I know every one of them by their face. I have all the sympathy in 
the world for the poor guys who are drawn into these drugs with these needles."

The next step for police is to increase the presence of uniformed 
officers downtown, Sylven said. It's not clear long police will 
increase their downtown patrols, but Sylven indicated that it will be 
for a limited period.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom