Pubdate: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Copyright: 2006 Winnipeg Free Press Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502 Author: Bartley Kives Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) DRUGS, WEAPONS SEIZED Police Hope for More Money to Extend Operation Clean Sweep WINNIPEG - police seized more than five kilograms of crack cocaine, marijuana and magic mushrooms in a pair of Operation Clean Sweep-aided searches, at a time when the city is thinking about adding money to the annual law-enforcement budget. In pair of separate searches -- Saturday at a Burrows Avenue home and Thursday at an Academy Road apartment -- police nabbed 2.5 kilograms of psylocibin, 1.6 kilos of crack, 866 grams of marijuana and a small amount of steroids, Patrol Sgt. Kelly Dennison said yesterday. Along with the drugs, which have a combined estimated street value of $148,000, police recovered a stolen handgun, swords, knives, martial-arts weapons and $3,875 in cash at the two Winnipeg locations. The Crescentwood search was made by members of Operation Clean Sweep, the $1.6 million, 45-officer street-crime task force created in the wake of the October shooting death of innocent pedestrian Philippe Haiart in the West End. The North End bust also resulted from information collected by the task force, which is slated to be disbanded on Feb. 21. As the mayor's cabinet begins to crunch the numbers for city's annual operating budget, police are quietly hoping for more money to extend Operation Clean Sweep. "I think that's fair to say," said Coun. Russ Wyatt, who is not privy to the initial budget discussions but made a motion before council last week to make the task force permanent. "We should not wind down the program and then evaluate the program. We should be able to walk and chew gum at the same time," said the Transcona councillor, whose motion will be discussed at a Feb. 8 meeting by council's protection and community services. Wyatt wants to see Operation Clean Sweep funded without drawing financial resources away from other police programs, as is currently the case. The task force was founded in November with $800,000 from existing police coffers and another $800,000 in new money. The mayor's cabinet is close to completing a draft of the city capital budget, but an early look at the operating budget is not expected until later in February. "Let' keep the pressure on the criminal element in this city, with an operation that's obviously been successful," Wyatt said. During the first six weeks of Operation Clean Sweep, the task force made 257 arrests. This latest pair of seizures resulted in four more: At Academy Road, a 22-year-old male was charged with 19 drug and weapons offences, while on Burrows Avenue, three men aged 28, 29 and 55 face trafficking charges. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake