Pubdate: Wed, 24 Jan 2007
Source: Houston Today (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 Houston Today
Contact:  http://www.houston-today.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4080
Author: Thom Barker

REGIONAL DRUG STING NETS 53 STREET-LEVEL TRAFFICKERS

Houston RCMP recently participated in a four-month, region-wide 
operation aimed at street-level drug traffickers that resulted in 53 
arrests and more than 100 charges.

Undercover officers from Queen Charlotte City to Houston purchased a 
variety of drugs including cocaine, marijuana, crack, morphine and psilocybin.

Const. Jagdev Uppal, the project coordinator out of Prince Rupert, 
said Houston officers arrested three individuals over the past two 
weeks in connection with the investigation.

The operation, entitled Project E-Parkway, is part of a Canada-wide 
get-tough-on-drugs campaign.

"In the past few years the problem of illicit synthetic drugs has 
evolved from a concern for Canadian law enforcement to a national 
priority," states The Drug Situation Report, an RCMP strategic document.

"The drug problem is a huge problem for us," Houston Sgt. Sheila White said.

"We were happy to see the [North District] Drug Section target the 
street-level dealers."

Judges also appear to be getting the message that communities are fed 
up with the drug trade. Last week, Judge William Jack handed 
convicted drug dealer Aaron Tom two consecutive one year terms plus 
time-served on trafficking charges sending him into the federal 
penitentiary system.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine