Pubdate: Thu, 16 Nov 2000
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2000, Canoe Limited Partnership.
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Author: CP

DRUG SWEEP BAGS 63

YELLOWKNIFE -- A year-long police investigation that spread over two 
provinces and the Northwest Territories has resulted in the North's 
largest drug bust.

Police made 63 arrests and laid 153 charges after pre-dawn raids 
yesterday in Yellowknife, Edmonton and Calgary, as well as Parry 
Sound and Scarborough in Ontario.

The charges include selling cocaine, marijuana and MDA (an 
amphetamine) as well as weapons offences that include selling 
handguns.

"We didn't target users, but rather the highest-level traffickers we 
could find," said Sgt. Dave Grundy of Yellowknife RCMP.

Grundy said the arrests have destroyed two separate organized crime 
groups in the North. He emphasized none had links to outlaw biker 
gangs, but wouldn't comment on links to any other organized crime 
groups from the south.

"They're just people," he said of the arrested suspects. "They make 
friends, they start off and they go from there."

Although police seized only small amounts of drugs, the raids did 
yield $500,000 in cash and $250,000 in items such as vehicles, 
carvings and jewelry believed to be proceeds of crime.

About 150 RCMP officers and three police dogs from British Columbia, 
Alberta and Saskatchewan were involved in the investigation and raids.
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