Pubdate: Sun, 08 Jul 2012
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2012 Postmedia Network Inc.
Contact: http://www2.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.theprovince.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture)

POLICE HONOURED

Traffic officers from the RCMP and Nelson police were given the first 
award of excellence from B.C.'s civil forfeiture office for seizing 
over $75 million in cash, drugs and property over the past six years 
- - the most in the province.

The 132 officers, including three from Nelson, who worked for the 
RCMP Southeast District Traffic Services and the Integrated Road 
Safety Units, were recognized by the solicitor general at the B.C. 
Chiefs of Police Association conference in Penticton, the RCMP said 
in a release. RCMP Supt. Randy Kolibaba accepted the award on behalf 
of the officers for their work in fighting crime and preventing the 
wider spread of illegal goods.

The seizures between 2006 and 2011 included evidence seized during a 
traffic stop - later identified as being used to commit a crime - and 
therefore seized under B.C.'s civil forfeiture act.

"In 2011 alone, the 132 officers, which include three officers 
seconded from the Nelson police department and who make up the RCMP 
Southeast District Traffic Services, seized more contraband than any 
other policing agency within the province of B.C., municipal or 
provincial units combined," the RCMP said in a release.

Seizures included over $5 million in cash, over two tonnes of 
processed marijuana, 50,000 marijuana plants, 50 kg of cocaine, 1.2 
kg of crystal meth chemicals worth $1.5 million, 400,000 ecstasy 
tablets, 219 illegal weapons, 45 handguns, 39 rifles, one Uzi 
submachine-gun, four houses, 12 vehicles, three motorcycles and one trailer.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom