Pubdate: 09 Feb 2012
Pubdate: Thu, 9 Feb 2012
Source: Surrey Leader (CN BC)
Contact:  2012 Surrey Leader
Website: http://www.surreyleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1236
Author: Frank Bucholtz

Drug Wars

MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH

The number of grow-ops in Surrey may be dropping, but the level of 
drug-related gang violence certainly isn't.

Early Tuesday morning, as Vancouver radio stations reported on Surrey 
Mayor Dianne Watts' comments that the number of grow-ops being found 
in the city had dropped by 82 per cent, a man was ambushed as he got 
out of a rental car near 144 Street and 92 Avenue. At least one 
gunman critically wounded him, and then stole his rental car.

The car was later found ablaze a short distance away in North Delta, 
with two men seen fleeing from it, one of whom was arrested. Police 
say the shooting was directly related to the drug trade.

This is just the latest in a series of targeted attacks in various 
parts of the Lower Mainland. One particularly brazen incident was the 
murder of a man while he was sitting in a restaurant at the Wall 
Centre in downtown Vancouver.

Like many residents who have had grow-ops for neighbours, I was 
pleased to hear Watts' comments. The Surrey Electrical Fire Safety 
Program, which started as a pilot project in 2005 and was expanded in 
2007, has been key in shutting down grow-ops, as fire inspectors use 
their ability to conduct such inspections to shut down active grow-ops.

Fire chief Len Garis deserves credit for spearheading this effort and 
making the city safer. It is also important to note that the program 
has led to a decrease in residential fires linked to grow-ops.

Watts said that more than 1,000 grow-ops had been shut down. 
Particularly pleasing is that a few of the closures eventually led to 
seizure of the properties and their sale under forfeiture 
legislation. Taking away assets of drug traffickers is hitting them 
where it hurts, because they are in this business solely to make a 
lot of money and not pay any taxes.

Remember, the U.S. government finally managed to get Al Capone, the 
Chicago mob boss, in prison on a charge of not paying income taxes.

However, when one grow-op shuts down, another springs up. There may 
be fewer of them in Surrey, but the supply of marijuana hasn't 
noticeably diminished. Drug wars in places like Mexico have left 
thousands of people dead, and the fight over control of the trade in 
the Vancouver area seems to be once again reaching the crescendo that 
we saw in early 2009.

All levels of government need to develop a co-ordinated approach to 
this issue, and all options need to be on the table. Should marijuana 
be regulated and sold in government outlets? When prohibition ended 
in the U.S. in 1933, it took mobsters out of the liquor business, but 
with their profits, they found many others to go into.

The federal, provincial and local governments all have a role to 
play. Surrey may be somewhat safer due to the electrical inspections, 
but Surrey youth are still getting into gangs. Some of them are 
dying, while others are wounded in shootings like the one on Tuesday. 
Still others destroy the lives of many innocent people, including 
their own families.

This is a comprehensive issue that needs full attention and a 
willingness to look at innovative ideas. The electrical safety 
inspections were an innovative idea, and have been successful. Are 
there more such ideas on the horizon to help end the drug wars and 
perhaps save the lives of young people?
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom