Pubdate: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 Source: Chatham This Week (CN ON) Copyright: 2004 Bowes Publishers Limited Contact: http://www.bowesnet.com/ctw/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/719 SIX-MONTH CRACKDOWN YIELDS $358,000 IN ILLEGAL DRUGS Chatham This Week - Chatham-Kent police seized $358,000 in illegal drugs and laid 61 charges against 28 people during a six-month crackdown that ran from March 1 to Nov. 30. Called Project Night-scope, the crackdown targeted drug dealers who police suspected were responsible for supplying drugs to young people, especially around high schools. Deputy Police Chief Dennis Poole, speaking to members of the police service board at their meeting on Jan. 14, described the crackdown as "very successful." "The goals of the initiative in-cluded identifying these drug dealers through surveillance, interrupting their activities through enforcement activities such as search warrants and take-downs, and educating our young people on the dangers of drug use." Ontario government funding of $16,000 allowed the police to purchase specialized equipment, which included a computer, digital cameras and surveillance equipment. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin