Pubdate: Sat, 27 Sep 2014
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2014 Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact: http://www.edmontonsun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.edmontonsun.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Author: Pamela Roth
Page: 5

EDGE SETS RECORD

Big Year for Drug/Gang Fighting Cops

Members of the Edmonton Drug and Gang Enforcement unit (EDGE) have 
had a record-breaking year for seizures of marijuana, buffing agent and cash.

So far this year, police have seized 200 kg of marijuana, 27 kg of 
buffing agent and nearly $1.4 million in cash. The unit seized $1.3 
million cash for the entire year last year and had 6.3 kg of 
marijuana at this time last year.

According to EDGE Staff Sgt. Carlos Cardoso, the increase in 
marijuana is due to a record-breaking seizure of 440 pounds last 
April. Prior to that, the last big marijuana seizure was 
approximately 160 pounds.

Cardoso said police aren't necessarily seeing an increase of drugs 
coming through the capital city, but have just changed who they 
target. Instead of chasing drug runners, officers are now going after 
the individuals who coordinate drugs coming into Edmonton or supply a 
bigger group.

Seizures such as record amounts of marijuana show the change in 
targets is already paying off, said Cardoso. Last year police had 
another record seizure - 55 kg of cocaine. So far this year, police 
have seized 8.4 kg of the drug.

"Every time we have a seizure of this kind, it has a ripple affect. 
Sometimes it's short lived, sometimes it's a little bit bigger. All 
of a sudden you'll see the prices go up a little bit," said Cardoso, 
noting the investigations associated with targeting higher level 
organized crime groups and their leaders are complex and take more time.

"They know we are targeting these big players. When you target these 
guys at that level, you're not looking at a small sentence. I'm not 
saying we're eradicating all of it, but I think we are making a difference."

In the past, EDGE measured success through the number of arrests, 
charges and values of civil forfeiture. A more accurate measure of 
its impact on the drug and gang landscape is reflected by the number 
of criminal networks that are disrupted, states a recent report to 
the Edmonton Police Commission.

The report further states the number of arrests and charges laid in 
the last three years have been consistently on the decline, while the 
quantity of drugs, guns and money has increased.

In the first and second quarter of this year, however, the number of 
arrests and charges has increased by five and 186 compared to this 
time last year. In 2013, a total of 147 people were arrested and 235 
the previous year. Police laid a total of 350 charges in 2013.

[sidebar]

Seizures so far this year

Cocaine: 8.4 kg

Marijuana: 200.4 kg

Heroin: 167.8 g

Meth: 1.9 kg

GHB: 22.9 L

Buffing agent: 27.4 kg

Cash: $1.38 million Canadian and $8,600 US

Firearms: 13

Arrests: 68

Charges: 247

Seizures at the same time last year:

Cocaine: 19.3 kg

Marijuana: 6.3 kg

Heroin: 0 g

Meth: 39.6 g

GHB: 30.3 L

Buffing agent: 826.4 g

Money: $325,992

Firearms: 22

Arrests: 63

Charges: 61
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom