Pubdate: Wed, 25 May 2005 Source: Trail Daily Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 Trail Daily Times Contact: http://www.canada.com/trail/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1043 Author: Raymond Masleck Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada) "WAR ON POT' AT REQUEST OF COMMUNITIES, SAYS TOP COP A raid on a marijuana growing operation in Fruitbale last week was the 20th drug-related search warrant executed by the Greater Trail RCMP in the past six months, but there is still lots more work to do, according to Staff Sgt. Nick Romanchuk. The drug enforcement operations have resulted in more than 10,000 plants and 50 pounds of dried marijuana being seized, as well as some cocaine. The war on pot was developed out of community consultations in which "we were told loud and clear that organized criminal activity, and in particular the drug trade, was to be treated as a priority," Romanchuk said. "The vast majority of the marijuana grow operations we have seized have been large-scale, commercial operations capable of producing tremendous profits for those running the operations." They present "numerous risks," such as fires from over-taxed, jerry-rigged electrical systems; firearms possession; and the type of violent criminals such lucrative illegal activity attracts. "(The detachment) is committed to continue targeting the local drug trade and, although we have shown considerable success in the recent past, there is still a lot of work to be done." Trail Mayor Dieter Bogs agreed that the drug trade "came forward as a major issue" when local councils met with the RCMP late last year. "It was the Number 1 issue identified by the communities," Bogs said. The alarm bells were raised by senior RCMP officials at the Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Whistler last fall where local politicians were told that organized crime is well entrenched in this province and growing, with the focus on the drug trade. "There is evidence that we are getting these same activities in Trail," Bogs said. But council is also concerned about other, more mundane policing issues such as vandalism, break-ins and petty theft. (continued p. 3 "Petty crime more of a concern for Rossland than grow-ops: councillor") "People have been accosted downtown by young people under the influence of alcohol and multiple drugs," Bogs said. "We are concerned about how our young people are being affected by these drugs." Asked if policing and other programs focused on youth problems might be a better use of resources than chasing suppliers, he acknowledged that drug use "is a social problem and something council can't close its eyes to." Bogs said he "feels bad" that the city doesn't have either a youth centre or a skateboard park, two youth-oriented projects that have been discussed in recent years. Romanchuk insisted that the focus on drugs has not taken away from other areas of policing. "We are targeting marijuana growing operations but we are also able to deal with other problems." Rossland council's drug concerns have had more to do with youth consumption of harder drugs such as crystal methamphetamine and cocaine said councillor Gordon Smith. "Drug use is a problem, but we have focused more on the dangerous drugs that cause a lot of social damage to individuals and families." Council worked with the RCMP and the school district on setting up a "drug-free zone" around Rossland Secondary and stepping up enforcement at that level. "I haven't heard any concerns about grow-ops," Smith said. "What we are hearing, from business owners in particular, is that there is an increase in vandalism, theft and (break-and enters)." Council has been talking to the RCMP about these concerns but because resources are scarce," is trying to get Community Watch and community policing programs going. A lot of these issues were also raised by Trail business owners in a recent survey done by the city, Bogs said. Trail council is meeting with the RCMP later this week to discuss ways of dealing with problems downtown, he added. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth