Pubdate: Fri, 28 Oct 2005
Source: Meridian Booster (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005, The Lloydminster Meridian Booster
Contact:  http://www.meridianbooster.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1590
Author: Leo Pare

GOV'T PUTTING THE PINCH ON ORGANIZED CRIME

Participating In Organized Crime In Saskatchewan Just Got A Little
Tougher.

With violent gang activity on the rise in the province, the government
is taking measures to discourage organized crime. On the heels of the
Safer Communities legislation announced earlier this year,
Saskatchewan Justice Minister Frank Quennell announced the
proclamation of the Criminal Enterprise Suppression Act, which became
effective this past Monday. Under the new legislation, if the owner or
manager of a business is determined to be a member of a criminal
organization, the Chief of Police can make an application to the court
to cancel or withhold provincial tax or liquor license required to
operate the business and prohibit the premises from being used to
store or distribute liquor. It also allows the court to make an order
to restrain activities of two or more people who have conspired to
commit illegal acts that could cause public harm.

"The purpose of the Criminal Enterprise Suppression Act is to give
police another weapon to combat crime particularly organized crime
in the province," Quennell said. "We do have gangs in Saskatchewan, and
these gangs are involved in prostitution, drug importing and sale, and these
activities make money. We want to stop any organized crime from using these
funds to purchase what appear to be legitimate businesses and then using
those businesses for profit."

The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, introduced by the NDP
government earlier this year, also set to improve community safety by
targeting and, if necessary, shutting down residential and commercial
property habitually used for illegal activities such as producing,
growing, selling or using illegal drugs; prostitution; solvent abuse;
or the unlawful sale and consumption of alcohol.

Lloydminster Sask. Party MLA Milt Wakefield said the government has
been slow on the pickup since the Opposition first brought
Saskatchewan's gang problem to light earlier this year.

"We recognize the gang problem as a growing one," Wakefield said.
"Crime is a fact of community living unfortunately. But the rate of
crime depends upon the ability to have law enforcement in place, which
the NDP government has promised for two elections now and still hasn't
fulfilled."

This past July, a Statistics Canada study revealed that in 2004,
Saskatchewan boasted the highest crime rate in the nation, while
violent crime in the province more than doubled the national average.
Regina and Saskatoon had the highest crime rates among Canadian
cities. Some of Saskatchewan's most common gangs have been identified
as: the Native Syndicate, Indian Posse, Crazy Cree, Redd Alert,
Saskatchewan Warriors, Mixed Blood, Tribal Brotherz and West Side
Soldiers are some of the known Saskatchewan gangs, while some
organizations identified as youth gangs include: the Crips, the Junior
Mixed Blood, Indian Mafia Crips, and North Central Rough Riderz.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin