Pubdate: Sun, 05 Dec 2004
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Stuart Hunter, The Province
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

DIAL-A-DOPE BUSTED - UNDERCOVER

Drugs Had Value Of $400,000

Sixteen people aged 39 to 18 have been arrested and 73 charges have
been laid after a year-long investigation by North Vancouver Mounties
into a dial-a-dope business.

Const. Jennifer Pound said officers seized cocaine, methamphetamine,
ecstasy and marijuana -- with a combined street value of $400,000 --
as well as $73,000 in cash, steroids, a Taser-style gun, replica guns
and nine vehicles, including a Hummer, after search warrants were
executed at four Vancouver residences.

"When you look at this on paper and what we've put down for all the
stuff we've seized and the cash and all that it looks big," Pound
said. "But when you look at the big picture on the war on drugs, it's
just a small piece. It's a step in the right direction but there are
many more dial-a-dopers out there."

Undercover officers purchased $83,000 worth of drugs from the dealers,
who delivered their wares to the door, during the investigation.

"The investigation started with undercover officers phoning up this
phone number for the dial-a-dope group and requesting drugs and they
would get the drugs delivered to them," Pound said.

Pound said the dealers were so brazen that they handed out business
cards complete with a phone number at parties and raves.

Search warrants were executed at residences on Burrard, Melville and
Pender streets and Marine Way on Oct. 20 and 21, which led to the 16
arrests and charges.

A drug lab was located during one of the searches and emergency
personnel were called in to dispose of several dangerous drug
ingredients like red phosphorous.

The search of another residence yielded an ecstasy and crack
cocaine-making operation, including a pill press, which Pound said
police are seeing more often.

Pound said while the operation was organized, it did not appear to be
linked to organized crime.

The charges laid range from simple possession to production of a
controlled substance to possession for the purpose of trafficking,
Pound said.
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