Pubdate: Wed, 19 Jan 2005
Source: Kamloops This Week (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Kamloops This Week
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsthisweek.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1271
Author: Danna Johnson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

RCMP BREAK DOWN DRUG TRADE

No One Can Fault Const. Dan Thorne for Being Honest.

The nine-year veteran of the RCMP drug section shares the frustration of 
community members who see a rising prevalence of drugs in their neighbourhoods.

They might see someone dealing drugs in plain view and report it, but 
often, there's little the cops can do, he said.

There are four guys in the drug section, he told a group of about 50 North 
Shore residents Monday night during the latest of a five-part Safer 
Neighbourhood Series on how to prevent crime.

"If we were to target the people on the street all the time we'd get 
nowhere. We try to target the upper level dealers. When people call us to 
tell us there's a guy selling drugs on the street. The court system doesn't 
really frown on it all that much."

Thorne mapped out the way the drug trade works in Kamloops, explaining the 
dealers most people notice aren't the ones calling the shots and are often 
as dependent on the drugs as their customers. On any given day, they might 
arrest a dealer with $2,600 in his pockets and four ounces of crack cocaine.

He told the group what a grow-op looks like and how to spot one in the 
neighbourhood. The audience was also told how a methamphetamine lab works, 
and telltale signs there might be one next door.
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