Crime Authorities Uncover 276 Kg Of Cocaine In Boxes Of Hot Sauce Shipped To Port Of Saint John SAINT JOHN - Cocaine with a street value of an estimated $40 million has been seized from a container ship that docked in the Port of Saint John earlier this month. The 276 kilograms of the drug were smuggled into Canada from the South American country of Guyana on a container vessel that arrived in the city on Dec. 8. The Canada Border Services Agency is describing the bust as the largest drug seizure by the agency in New Brunswick. [continues 586 words]
Crime Cocaine Found Aboard Container Ship At Port Of Saint John SAINT JOHN - Last Friday, police arrested an Ontario man as he unloaded 1,250 boxes of "hot sauce" at a rented storage facility in Toronto. The hot sauce, as it turns out, was protected by cardboard partitions that had been taken apart and plugged with 1,653 packages of 77-79 per cent pure cocaine - a total of 276 kilograms or 100,000 hits with a street value of $40 million. [continues 544 words]
Border Patrol Seizes 276 Kg Of Cocaine At Port Of Saint John It's a white Christmas for the Canada Border Services Agency in New Brunswick, and that's good news for everyone who wants to see dangerous and illegal drugs off Canada's streets. The agency announced yesterday that its officers found and seized about 276 kilograms (607 pounds) of cocaine at the Port of Saint John on Dec. 11 while searching a marine container that originated in Guyana. Don Collins, the CBSA's district director for Southern New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, said yesterday the delay in reporting the seizure was to give time to its law enforcement partners to further their investigations. [continues 365 words]
MIRAMICHI - A judge is set to decide whether a middle-aged business woman will get jail time for what she called "a compassionate grow op" producing marijuana for the ill. Eva Marie Duplessie, 45, a petit woman who worked as tech specialist for a software company in Toronto and recently moved to a cottage in Baie du Vin, pled guilty to producing and trafficking marijuana out of her new home, but the Crown and defense disagreed on a suitable sentence during a hearing on Tuesday. [continues 919 words]
Re: Grow-op sentencing story published Nov. 20 Am I missing something here? I am referring to the story of the Minto man who was charged and sentenced rather harshly for simple possession and growing of a few pot plants. Was this guy a drug kingpin who the police and the courts nailed because they couldn't find the main stash or his elaborate distribution ring? I don't believe simple possession or growing of small quantities of the famous herb should result in incarceration or fines. [continues 310 words]
My dad was remarkably liberal when it came to my teenage freedoms. But when it came to drugs, he had one rule: "Don't touch them or you'll be out on your butt with a suitcase." His methods worked for me and so I've always felt confident that the right parenting and a little luck could at the very least keep kids from becoming habitual drug users. I believed that when it came time to have my own kids I would handle the issue of drugs with minimal concern. That was until recently when I attended a college lecture on the physical impacts of methamphetamines. Now I'm terrified. [continues 773 words]
The provincial court heard David Black refer to his "six foot tall babies" as the Crown played calls intercepted by police. As part Operation Jackpot - a covert investigation of a marijuana growing operation - officers recorded more than 77,000 intercepted conversations. During the trial against David and his mother Josephine Black, for obtaining proceeds of crime and money laundering, prosecutor Ann Marie Simmons played dozens of conversations David took part in, including several at his store - Buddy's Maritime Hydroponics at the Big Red Barn as well as the bar upstairs. [continues 619 words]
The hopes of major party candidates to win the hearts of local youth went up in smoke with one question. With the federal election less than a week away, the four federal party representatives for Tobique-Mactaquac took part in an all-candidate's debate on Tuesday morning, hosted by Woodstock High School's political science class. The candidates fielded questions from the four-member panel, but the topic which generated the greatest heat among the predominately high-school-aged audience was the legalization of marijuana. The Green Party's Mark Glass drew the loudest response, with his straight-forward answer, saying, "We legalize it, we regulate it and we tax it." [continues 1216 words]
CAMPOBELLO - The days of turning a blind eye to drug use on Campobello are over. That was the main message coming from a Saturday meeting where residents rallied together to fight the problem. A group of Campobello residents has been carrying out a health needs assessment, initiated by the regional healthy authority, to identify the unique problems islanders face and possible solutions. Gerry Hicks, chairman of the Campobello Island Health and Wellness Committee, said after conducting interviews and examining survey results, the committee concluded that drug abuse and addictions were the most common recurring problems in the community. [continues 827 words]
A Miramichi defense attorney said she was willing to take matters into her own hands and drive her drug addicted client to Halifax to receive treatment. Jaclyn Gallant told provincial court she has been working for 21-year-old Catherine Rissetto for over a year now, and sees a young woman in dire need of help for her drug abuse. "The eight-month wait list in Miramichi is far too long. She will be here another month before they even consider putting her back on methadone. In Halifax they can take her right away." [continues 541 words]
RCMP In Midst Of Operation To Search For And Eradicate Plants RICHIBUCTO - The daily deluge of rain and grey skies has made the summer of 2008 one to forget, but the RCMP in Kent County sees a benefit in all of the soggy weather. Cpl. Jamie Melanson, who has served in RCMP District 5, based in Richibucto, for 11 years, said yesterday this year's constant rain has affected marijuana growing operations in Kent County. "We're probably seeing an average amount of activity, but the plants are of lesser quality because of the weather," Melanson said. [continues 455 words]
There is nothing worse than having to do something you know won't work in the end. I was reminded of that when I read last month of a Crown prosecutor in New Brunswick lamenting the lack of drug treatment courts and of addictions treatment services in provincial jails. In provincial court, after dealing with the cases of two women with severe drug addictions, lengthy criminal records, and serious medical problems as a result of their drug abuse, the prosecutor said, "I'm not permitted to take a position . . . but boy oh boy, from just a general observation point of view, if there's ever a need for specialized court . . . this would have to be it." [continues 821 words]
Re: City police crave a fix for addicts (Sept. 1). Until the government starts offering real help, one step towards a better life would be free drug clinics. Apply for a Section 56 exemption from Health Canada, and immediately open a clinic in every neighbourhood with a drug problem. Hire a pharmaceutical company to provide thousands of doses of cocaine, heroin, meth, and their substitute drugs. When made by professional labs, this stuff is clean, dose-regulated, and about as cheap as aspirin. [continues 191 words]
Law Officers Say Most Of The Calls They Receive Are Related To Drugs SAINT JOHN - "I'm going to commit a crime." Hearing those words sounded odd to Const. Michelle Bliss of the Saint John Police Force. It's not often someone confesses to police before committing a crime. However, not much surprises Bliss and Sgt. Jim Fleming when it comes to dealing with drug and drug addiction in the city. In terms of a pre-emptive confession, Bliss said it was out of desperation - a criminal act as a cry for help. [continues 641 words]
To The Editor: Regarding James Foster's City Views column "Is society benefiting from the war on pot?". Aug. 20: "Other than lawyers, who benefits from criminalizing pot smokers?," he asks. Cops, gangsters, court staff, and jailers. Marijuana was criminalized in Canada in 1923 based on racist lies and supposed "dangers to society" that never actually existed. In fact, it took until 1937 (a full 14 years!) before the first pot bust happened. A quick search of Google will show that the real reason pot was criminalized was to demonize its sister plant, hemp. [continues 261 words]
By all accounts, Mike McCormick minded his own business and never hurt another soul. He lived off the land, hunting, digging clams and cutting his own firewood. And he grew pot. Lots and lots of pot. In fact, when police stumbled across McCormick's shack in the woods behind his house, there were 243 plants growing inside it. That's a lot of dope, yet police found none of the usual evidence that McCormick was peddling the stuff. No baggies. No scales. No paper trail of transactions. Nothing. [continues 746 words]
In our view: Combat the lack of addiction help with an attitude change Imagine the enormous decision to finally seek help for your drug addiction. After years of abuse, crime, family estrangement, health problems, poverty and all the other vices that accompany addiction, you take that first floundering step toward recovery. You summon to courage, make that call, spill your heart out, and are told you could wait seven months before getting into a rehab program. That news is enough to send you spiraling back down into the black hole of addiction and crime just because of the sheer enormity of the long road ahead. [continues 318 words]
Vehicles Aren't Searched Without Consent Or Reasonable Grounds, Police Say RCMP Cpl. Rick Tessier says the Mounties in his Roving Traffic Unit don't pull over motorists on the highway because they look like drug traffickers. They also don't disregard Charter rights in order to seize drugs and make an arrest. And when an officer tells a motorist he's free to go or free to refuse questions or a search, Tessier says that motorist is free to leave. [continues 1082 words]
Moncton Courts Divided on Constitutionality of Warrantless Searches With the Moncton judiciary split on the legality of a local Mountie's vehicle searches, Judge Irwin Lampert says it's time for New Brunswick's Court of Appeal to rule on the subject. Lampert gave a lengthy decision yesterday afternoon, ruling that 50 pounds (23 kilograms) of marijuana found during a vehicle search on Highway 2 (the Trans-Canada Highway) can be admitted into evidence. Gee Van Wong is charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking after being stopped near Petitcodiac last October. The matter will return to court in mid-September. [continues 841 words]
Justice Crown Prosecutor Laments Lack Of Drug Treatment Courts In New Brunswick SAINT JOHN - A Crown prosecutor has lamented the lack of drug treatment courts in New Brunswick. "While certainly in my capacity (as a government employee) I'm not permitted to take a position ... boy oh boy, from just a general observation point of view, if there's ever a need for specialized court (besides the mental health one already in place) ... this would have to be it," said Chris Titus. [continues 1020 words]
In Moncton Tuesday, Provincial Court Judge Irwin Lampert rendered a decision in a drug possession for the purpose of trafficking case, finding a police search of a suspect's vehicle legal, then bluntly inviting the defence to appeal his ruling because judges are split on whether police tactics are constitutional or not. It may be unusual, but Judge Lampert is correct. The matter needs to be clarified. It goes to the very heart of our freedoms and constitutional rights. A democracy isn't worth much if everyone's rights and freedom are not respected and constitutional protections are not applied equally to all, including criminals and others who for some reason may seem suspicious. [continues 279 words]
Despite pleading guilty to assaulting a teenaged boy and attempting to force beer down the child's throat, as well as five other charges of theft and breach of a court order, Ade Martin will not be going to jail. Instead, provincial court judge Fred Ferguson gave the 28-year old former drug addict a two-year suspended sentence, plus probation, during which he would face doubly severe charges if he is caught indulging in illicit drug use. Ferguson said in most cases a breach of a court order would guarantee jail time in his court. But, he added, he makes exceptions for those who prove they are on the path to recovery. [continues 470 words]
On Tuesday, Thomas Alexander Ward, 30, was sentenced to 10 months in jail for trafficking in pure methadone. We understand that the sentence has to be rendered according to certain criteria, but we can't help wondering if 10 months is really enough of a deterrent. In a written judgment, provincial court judge Fred Ferguson ordered that Ward be incarcerated for his involvement in possessing and selling the potent drug. Ward trafficked the methadone after his accomplice, Lesleigh Woods, took advantage of her former status as a pharmacy employee to steal it in the first place. [continues 521 words]
SAINT JOHN - A 33-year-old Saint John man is the first in New Brunswick to be convicted for drug-impaired driving based on new investigative tools provided by federal legislation. Ralph Daniel Craig, a Dilaudid addict, was subjected to new drug detection tests by police after rear-ending another vehicle and "failed miserably," Crown prosecutor Chris Titus told provincial court. Craig was "clearly impaired by drugs," Titus said. Craig, of no fixed address, was sentenced to 35 days in jail after pleading guilty to impaired driving, failing to remain at the scene of an accident and violating a probation order to keep the peace and be of good behaviour. [continues 681 words]
On July 2, 2008 the final provisions of our government's Tackling Violent Crime Act came into effect. This legislation includes new measures to protect families and communities from those who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Police now have better tools to detect and investigate drug- and alcohol-impaired driving. We are also increasing the penalties for impaired driving. Our government will continue to deliver on what is important to Canadians the safety and security of their communities because protecting society is a priority for our government, not an afterthought. [continues 189 words]
Steven, we never really knew each other anyway. But that doesn't mean we aren't all shocked to learn of your new legal problems. Just when it seemed the faux David Lee Roth gallivanting around Ontario was going to be the most surprising music news we heard this week, there comes word Barenaked Ladies singer Steven Page has been arrested for cocaine possession. The best joke -- If I Had a Million Dollars, I'd Make Bail -- has already been used by another newspaper, much to my disappointment. [continues 772 words]
On July 2, 2008 the final provisions of our government's Tackling Violent Crime Act came into effect. This legislation includes new measures to protect families and communities from those who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Police now have better tools to detect and investigate drug- and alcohol-impaired driving. We are also increasing the penalties for impaired driving. Our government will continue to deliver on what is important to Canadians - the safety and security of their communities - - because protecting society is a priority for our government, not an afterthought. [continues 206 words]
A letter to the editor published in the Ottawa Citizen a week ago suggested that Marc Emery should be nominated to the Order of Canada "because of his stand against dumb laws prohibiting the free use of marijuana." The letter was in response to the controversy over the long overdue appointment of Henry Morgentaler to the OC. The writer went further, and recommended that there should be a law against making dumb laws, which I thought was kind of funny. However, the impression I get from Question Period is that they take themselves pretty seriously. [continues 592 words]
Courts Tackle Questions Of Whether Drug Evidence Illegally Obtained A motorist was stopped by an RCMP officer in September 2006 on Highway 2 (the Trans-Canada Highway), near Berry Mills, with two duffel bags full of marijuana. He was charged with being in possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, but a Moncton judge recently acquitted him after ruling the Mountie conducted an illegal search. A hearing was held in Moncton provincial court to determine whether the contents of the bags should be admitted into evidence and Judge Pierre Arseneault ruled in the favour of the accused. [continues 857 words]
New Legislation Also Increases Penalties For Impaired Drivers Canadian police have long been armed with the breathalyser to detect drivers impaired by alcohol. Now the Canadian government has provided them with the ability to detect drivers impaired by drugs and controlled substances. "It's a plus for us," says Codiac RCMP Cpl. Mike Gaudet. "It gives us more of a chance to investigate when we suspect (drug impairment)." The changes that came into effect yesterday are part of the Conservative government's Tackling Violent Crime Act. One of the main changes is that if a police officer pulls over a motorist and suspects he's high on drugs, he can take him to the police station or hospital for testing by specially trained drug recognition experts. [continues 300 words]
Good old-fashioned police work, combined with increasing co-operation from crime-prevention groups and the public, is being credited for a number of recent successes in the battle against marijuana grow operations and contraband tobacco in the Fredericton area. Insp. Mike O'Malley, the commander of RCMP District 2 in Oromocto, said partnerships with groups such as Neighbourhood Watch, along with a number of community-based initiatives, have combined to give police an edge. "It's about community mobilization," O'Malley said. [continues 535 words]
The First Step To Fixing A Problem Is To Recognize There Is One. Those involved in the battle against drug abuse at St. Mary's First Nation deserve applause following recent efforts there to give the problem a public face. Provincial Court Judge Graydon Nicholas, a respected member of the judiciary and a native Canadian, spoke on the issue last week at Chief Harold Sappier Memorial Elementary School during a day-long event set to coincide with the United Nations International Day Against Drugs. [continues 309 words]
Atlantic Canada's first native judge put down his gavel and picked up a microphone Thursday to talk to St. Mary's First Nation residents about the danger of drugs. Judge Graydon Nicholas spoke at Chief Harold Sappier Memorial Elementary School during a day-long event staged during the United Nations International Day Against Drugs. He said drug use is a threat to every community, but reserves in particular. "Within First Nations communities the problem is magnified because we tend to live isolated lives and don't see what is going on in the greater communities," he said. [continues 326 words]
A lawsuit by a city police officer against his employer and the former mayor has been refiled in Miramichi's Court of Queen Bench. During a court hearing in February, Arthur McLean was ordered to immediately file a new lawsuit that deleted any reference to former city councillor Martin McIntyre. Justice Barbara Baird issued her ruling on Feb. 29, but the lawsuit was not filed until May 13. During that time, McLean's lawyer had been demanding to see the documents John McKay, the former mayor, had used when preparing a defence against McLean's lawsuit. The list included notes, letters and other documents McKay used when consulting with the law firm representing the city in the civil suit. [continues 424 words]
So convicted drug trafficker Matt Amos is going to appeal his six-year sentence. Good for him. We hope the Appeals Court reviews the evidence carefully - and increases the sentence: doubles or triples it, if it can. Amos was described during his trial as possibly being the first drug dealer to introduce crystal meth to this province. Although at a convenient moment prior to his sentencing, he did utter the appropriate words (albeit even as he attempted to minimize what he did) - "I didn't see the bottom-end of the effect on people. But I did traffic 'mostly' in marijuana" - it's obvious he has no concept of just what he has done. [continues 374 words]
The recent sentencing of a woman to federal penitentiary, (June 18), in the hope that she will get treatment for cocaine addiction, brings into sharp focus the requirement for resources in the community which will address the needs of people struggling with chemical dependencies. Prisons are not rehabilitation centres, and cannot provide the therapeutic environment necessary for recovery. Society must realize that addicts are sick people, and it is futile and inane to expect that they will get well, and thus avoid criminal behaviour, unless their illness is given proper attention. [continues 175 words]
'Are You Serious? a Simple Curfew?' Says Judge in Response to Crown, Defence Sentencing Recommendation While clearly not happy with the joint sentence submission made by the Crown and defense laywers, Grand Falls provincial court Judge Jacques Desjardins did however grant the request for an 18-month suspended sentence to be served in the community for 26-year-old Berthony Julien of Montreal on Tuesday, June 3. Julien had pleaded guilty during an earlier court appearance to possession of cannabis marijuana for the purpose of trafficking on March 9, 2007 near Woodstock. [continues 580 words]
A Leo Hayes High School student who admitted to selling drugs on school grounds was given a conditional discharge in court Thursday, meaning he'll have no criminal record. The 16-year-old boy, who can't be identified as per the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, was in court Thursday to be sentenced on a Dec. 6 charge of trafficking in marijuana. Crown prosecutor Hilary Drain said the charge arose when a city police officer saw a drug deal going down on school property. [continues 490 words]
It once was in this country, not all that long ago, that someone who killed an officer of the law was eligible for the death penalty. A court case Friday will have come as a shock to many. A Quebec man who fired upon and killed a policeman during a raid on his home was acquitted of first degree murder by a jury. Basil Parasiris, who had been charged in the death of Laval police Const. Daniel Tessier in March 2007, walked out of court a free man. He does still face some weapons-related charges, however. [continues 242 words]
SAINT JOHN - Donnie Snook knows crime and the turmoil it brings to a neighbourhood. He's spent much of his adult life working with children in the troubled south end where crack houses are more common than playgrounds. Snook was recently elected to council and one of the first steps he wants to take is pushing the province to introduce legislation that is currently cutting a swath across the country. Called safer communities and neighbourhoods legislation, or SCAN, it has been adopted by Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Yukon governments. [continues 457 words]
Drugs AIDS Saint John Official Thinks Ruling Could Affect National Policy and Funding SAINT JOHN - It's not often a decision on a program in the east end of Vancouver has an impact more than 5,700 kilometres away in Saint John but, in time, it could. A British Columbia court ruling has struck down laws prohibiting possession and trafficking of drugs by those accessing help at supervised injection sites, effectively granting a reprieve for Vancouver's controversial injection facility known as Insite, the country's first safe injection site for drug addicts. [continues 608 words]
SAINT JOHN - For Dr. Tim Christie, director of ethics services for the Atlantic Health Sciences Corporation, the debate between harm reduction and law enforcement policies is a simple one - it all comes down to goals. Christie says harm-reduction policies have been able to meet the goals they set while the same cannot be said for law enforcement. He cites Insite, the country's first safe injection site for drug addicts, as an example. One of the main goals of Insite, a pilot program in Vancouver, is to prevent overdose deaths, something that was happening far too often in the B.C. city's east end before the pilot program began. [continues 291 words]
Dear Editor, RE: D.A.R.E. to make the right decision (May 30 Bugle-Observer). Why are we sending cops in to teach kids about drugs, instead of medical practitioners? That is like sending in a priest to teach kids about sex: Just DON'T! Or you will be in BIG trouble! "We give them facts about drugs and alcohol. Our kids today want to know the truth," said Cpl. (John) Foster. How about this truth? Marijuana is one of the safest and most versatile herbal remedies know to man, and recent science out of Germany shows how cannabinoids stimulate the body's production of TIMP-1, which helps healthy cells resist cancer invasion. (www.salem-news.com/articles/january112008/cancer_treatment_11008.php; www.webmd.com/cancer/news/20071226/pot-slows-cancer-in-test-tube D.A.R.E. has been running for more than 25 years and is used in schools across the globe. And in that time, drug use among Canadian teens has nearly quadrupled! Nice work, D.A.R.E.! [continues 318 words]
At the Gathering 2008, Dr. R. King spoke of his work with our youth addiction treatment centre near Sussex, know as Portage. I was impressed by one comment in particular. He said we should not use the word "addict" to refer to a "person with an addiction." His point being that they are much more than their addictions and addressing them as such takes away their identity as a person. I had just finished my address, having used the word "addict" in such a context. Lesson learned. [continues 559 words]
Students in Grades 6 and 8 were celebrated on Tuesday for graduating the first D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program to ever run at Woodstock Middle School. The D.A.R.E. graduation ceremony at WMS on Tuesday, May 27, kicked off with a performance by the program's enthusiastic cheerleaders. A ceremony was held at the school gymnasium to hand out certificates and T-shirts to all students who participated in the 10-week program. Cpl. John Foster of the Woodstock Police Force taught the D.A.R.E. course. He said the goal is to educate students, so they can make the right decisions about drug and alcohol use. "We're giving these kids a solid decision-making model. With the tools we're giving them they can make wise choices," said Cpl. Foster. [continues 694 words]
HAMPTON - A Rothesay man who says he was growing marijuana for medicinal purposes has been sentenced to house arrest. Wayne Scott Roberts, 38, pleaded guilty to the production of marijuana in Hampton provincial court on Tuesday. Crown prosecutor Kelly Winchester told the court Rothesay Regional Police learned of a likely grow operation taking place on Rose Lane in its town. On Feb. 20 they executed a search warrant at Roberts' home. When they arrived, shortly after 8 p.m., no one answered the door but police saw movement in the home of people entering the staircase to the basement. [continues 244 words]
HAMPTON - Police were surprised to find nearly 50 weapons during a raid on a rural Kings County home this week. In addition to the 48 rifles of varying size and age, RCMP also seized about $17,000 in cash, illegal cigarettes and tobacco, and a hodgepodge of illicit drugs during the Tuesday night bust in Marrtown, about 20 kilometres north of Sussex. "The large quantity of firearms were particularly surprising to us,"Acting Sgt. Phil Oliver of the Sussex RCMP told reporters at Hampton RCMP headquarters Thursday. [continues 573 words]
Not unlike any other city in Canada, drugs are an issue in Moncton. "Drugs are prevalent at the street level in Moncton and this is not uncommon for cities," explains Gary Hayden of the RCMP Drug Section. "You can talk to officers in every province and you will see that we all deal with the same issues." Gary has been a member of the RCMP for 35 years, and has spent 27 of those years in the Drug Unit. He explains that the section was born out of a joint force operation in 1984 between City police and the RCMP. [continues 518 words]
Most parents and guardians know their children well. They know their behaviours and their temperaments, their normal "attitudes" and their normal teenage rebellion. Most parents and guardians will also notice when their child has a significant change in behaviour - different friends, attitude changes, behaviour changes, rebellion beyond the normal. In some cases, these behaviour changes may be attributed to substance abuse by the youth. If a parent or adult caregiver, or even a friend, notices a child is struggling with substance abuse issues, they can contact an organization called Portage. [continues 571 words]
"The Freedom of no one is safe unless the freedom of everyone is safe," says the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) That all sounds great, so what do they do? Some of the objectives that guide the organization are: . The protection of the fundamental freedoms essential to the democratic system. . The promotion of legal protections against unreasonable invasion by public authority of the freedom and dignity of the individual. . The promotion of fair procedures for the resolution and adjudication of conflicts and disputes. [continues 234 words]
Inside New Brunswick
