Pubdate: Tue, 09 Jun 2009
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2009 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Gwendolyn Richards
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

POLICE BREAK UP $8 MILLION DRUG TRAFFICKING RING

12 Calgarians, Two B.C. Residents Facing Charges

A criminal organization that used hidden compartments in vehicles to 
funnel cocaine into the city has taken a hit, police say, after a 
year-long investigation led to charges against 12 Calgarians.

In all, police seized 80 kilograms of powder cocaine worth $8 million 
on the street -- the largest seizure in Alberta's history. They also 
confiscated four handguns, a rifle, body armour and$330,000 in cash 
as part of the interprovincial investigation.

Operation High Noon concluded in early December, but police and the 
Crown have worked over the past six months to put charges together, 
said Staff Sgt. Darren Cave of the Calgary police drug unit.

Laying charges of conspiracy to traffic cocaine is significant, he 
said. "In order to prove conspiracy, we have to provide evidence 
there is a criminal organization at work here."

They also incur stricter penalties; the Crown is looking for 15-to 
20-year sentences for the two accused.

Cave said some of the suspects charged were involved in the upper 
echelons of the organized crime network, and the investigation 
disrupted its activities.

But, he said, putting a dent into the criminal organization won't 
stop it from operating.

"They never really shut down. Criminals, that's all they know," he 
said. "They will reorganize and they will start up again; only this 
time, we'll be more aware."

And, he added, this is only one cell. "There are other criminal 
organizations that continue to operate this way,"Cave said.

The investigation, which began with a search warrant served on a home 
on Hawthorne Drive N. W. in January 2008, unravelled part of an 
organized network that transported "large volumes"of cocaine from 
B.C. to Alberta, said Cave.

The quantity illustrates the high volume of cocaine coming to 
Calgary, he said, noting much of the drug was staying in the city.

In the wake of the seizures, prices for cocaine on the street did go 
up, he added.

The weapons, body armour and hidden compartments used to transport 
the drugs across the province's boundaries speak to the 
sophistication of the crime group, Cave said.

It took close inspection to detect the large compartments, which were 
created strictly to move the drugs, he said.

Police from Victoria, Vancouver and Lethbridge, along with RCMP in 
Cranbrook and Osoyoos, B. C., participated in the operation.

Some of the nearly 80 kilograms of cocaine -- packaged in 
one-kilogram bricks encased in duct tape and showcased by police 
Monday --may have come from as far away as South America.

"Our investigators, their belief is it goes down to the United 
States, beyond that to Mexico and South America," said Cave.

Criminologist Kelly Sundberg praised the work of the various police 
agencies, saying they should formalize their connection.

"It shows a positive move for the combating of drug trafficking 
within Western Canada," said Sundberg, of Mount Royal College's 
justice studies program.

Charges were laid against 12 Calgarians and two British Columbians.

Of the 14 charged, two have already been sentenced to prison terms.
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