Ecstasy smuggling across the B.C. border has exploded, according to a cross-border team of law enforcers. "Blaine is a hotspot for ecstasy smuggling," said Roy Hoffman, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement assistant special agent in charge. "We're seeing a huge amount of ecstasy heading for points in the U.S." He was among the officers who briefed the Cascadia Mayors Council meeting June 30 in Surrey on the work of the Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET), which pools policing efforts from both sides of the border to bust smugglers. [continues 312 words]
Tackling the Greater Vancouver drug problem requires a regional approach, a GVRD-led forum on drugs and crime heard last month. Tom Hetherington, addiction services manager for the Pacific Community Resources Society, was among the presenters who says local plans are often uncoordinated. "Problematic substance use crosses municipal boundaries - all people are impacted by it," he said in an interview. "If one was to put a lot of pressure on the Downtown Eastside, those people will move somewhere - they may move to New Westminster or Burnaby or Surrey." [continues 348 words]
The search for the meaning of life will be the topic when international researchers gather for a conference in Burnaby next week. More than 100 professionals will meet at the Hilton Metrotown hotel July 20 to 23 for the fourth biennial International Meaning Conference. Finding meaning in life is the key to fixing problems such as addiction, say organizers from the Fraser Health Authority and a collection of partners. "When we help those suffering from drug and alcohol addiction to find purpose and meaning in life, abstinence is often the by-product," said Geoff Thompson, a clinical addictions counsellor at the Maple Ridge Treatment Centre. [continues 121 words]
U.S. officials are irritated at the pace of Canada's response to extradition requests. And they're citing as a prime example the case of Vancouver marijuana seed king Marc Emery, who faces charges in the U.S. of marijuana distribution and money laundering. "This aEPrince of Pot' aE"A Emery aE"A still hasn't had his first extradition hearing," said Jeff Sullivan, criminal prosecution chief for the U.S. Attorney office in Washington State. "It's those kinds of things that are frustrating to us." [continues 180 words]
Ecstasy smuggling across the B.C. border has exploded, according to a cross-border team of law enforcers. "Blaine is a hotspot for ecstasy smuggling," said Roy Hoffman, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement assistant special agent in charge. "We're seeing a huge amount of ecstasy heading for points in the U.S." He was among the officers who briefed the Cascadia Mayors Council meeting June 30 in Surrey on the work of the Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET), which pools policing efforts from both sides of the border to bust smugglers. [continues 309 words]
Ecstasy smuggling across the B.C. border has exploded, according to a cross-border team of law enforcers. "Blaine is a hotspot for ecstasy smuggling," said Roy Hoffman, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement assistant special agent in charge. "We're seeing a huge amount of ecstasy heading for points in the U.S." Hoffman was among officers to brief the Cascadia Mayors Council meeting June 30 in Surrey on work of the Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET), which pools policing efforts from both sides of the border to bust smugglers. [continues 307 words]
Tackling Greater Vancouver's drug problem requires a regional approach, a GVRD-led forum on drugs and crime heard Monday. Tom Hetherington, addiction services manager for the Pacific Community Resources Society, was among presenters who warned that local plans are often uncoordinated. "Problematic substance use crosses municipal boundaries - all people are impacted by it," he said later. "If one was to put a lot of pressure on the Downtown Eastside, those people will move somewhere. They may move to New Westminster or Burnaby or Surrey." [continues 332 words]
Tackling the Greater Vancouver drug problem requires a regional approach, a GVRD-led forum on drugs and crime heard Monday. Tom Hetherington, addiction services manager for the Pacific Community Resources Society, was among the presenters who says local plans are often uncoordinated. "Problematic substance use crosses municipal boundaries - all people are impacted by it," he said in an interview. "If one was to put a lot of pressure on the Downtown Eastside, those people will move somewhere - they may move to New Westminster or Burnaby or Surrey." [continues 348 words]
Tackling the Greater Vancouver drug problem requires a regional approach, a GVRD-led forum on drugs and crime heard Monday. Tom Hetherington, addiction services manager for the Pacific Community Resources Society, was among the presenters who says local plans are often uncoordinated. "Problematic substance use crosses municipal boundaries -all people are impacted by it," he said in an interview. "If one was to put a lot of pressure on the Downtown Eastside, those people will move somewhere -they may move to New Westminster or Burnaby or Surrey." [continues 348 words]
Fear Of Harm Prevention Lingers, Forum Told Tackling the Greater Vancouver drug problem requires a regional approach, a GVRD-led forum on drugs and crime heard Monday. Tom Hetherington, addiction services manager for the Pacific Community Resources Society, was among the presenters who says local plans are often uncoordinated. "Problematic substance use crosses municipal boundaries -all people are impacted by it," he said in an interview. "If one was to put a lot of pressure on the Downtown Eastside, those people will move somewhere -they may move to New Westminster or Burnaby or Surrey." [continues 347 words]
Addictions Programs Gets An Extra $8m An extra $8-million injection of provincial money to combat crystal meth and other addictions includes nearly $2 million a year more for Fraser Health Authority. Three-quarters of the new funding announced last week will go to youth addictions treatment, while the balance is dedicated to crystal meth treatment. "The number of youth addictions treatment beds will increase by approximately 75 per cent and allows us to build capacity to ensure youth across the province get the assistance they need," health minister George Abbott said. [continues 375 words]
An extra $8 million injection of provincial money to combat crystal meth and other addictions includes nearly $2 million a year more for the Fraser Health Authority. Three-quarters of the new funding announced Thursday will go to youth addictions treatment, while the balance is dedicated to crystal meth treatment. "The number of youth addictions treatment beds will increase by approximately 75 per cent and allows us to build capacity to ensure youth across the province get the assistance they need," health minister George Abbott said. [continues 421 words]
An extra $8-million injection of provincial money to combat crystal meth and other addictions includes nearly $2 million a year more for the Fraser Health Authority. Three-quarters of the new funding announced Thursday will go to youth addictions treatment, while the balance is dedicated to crystal meth treatment. "The number of youth addictions treatment beds will increase by approximately 75 per cent and allows us to build capacity to ensure youth across the province get the assistance they need," health minister George Abbott said. [continues 363 words]
SkyTrain's armed Transit Police arrested 21 suspects for drug offences and another 37 wanted in other jurisdictions in their first month since taking on new roles, uniforms and firearms. Special constables had been patrolling the system since 2004 but they had not been able to execute arrest warrants or go after drug dealers. That's changed -- as demonstrated in the December statistics released this week. "We had a number of drug incidents and a number of warrant arrests -- those are now part of our toolbox," said Transit Police Inspector Dan Dureau. [continues 300 words]
SkyTrain's armed Transit Police arrested 21 suspects for drug offences and another 37 wanted in other jurisdictions in their first month since taking on new roles, uniforms and firearms. Special constables had been patrolling the system since 2004 but they had not been able to execute arrest warrants or go after drug dealers. That's changed -- as demonstrated in the December statistics released this week. "We had a number of drug incidents and a number of warrant arrests -- those are now part of our toolbox," said Transit Police Inspector Dan Dureau. [continues 195 words]
SkyTrain's armed Transit Police arrested 21 suspects for drug offences and another 37 wanted in other jurisdictions in their first month since taking on new roles, uniforms and firearms. Special constables had been patrolling the system since 2004 but they had not been able to execute arrest warrants or go after drug dealers. That's changed - as demonstrated in the December statistics released this week. "We had a number of drug incidents and a number of warrant arrests - those are now part of our toolbox," said Transit Police Inspector Dan Dureau. [continues 300 words]
One of two bus drivers fired for smoking marijuana on their way to work last spring is back on the job after an arbitrator's ruling that he may not have intended to get stoned. Gurmukh Gill was a passenger in a car driven by another Coast Mountain Bus Co. driver who RCMP said appeared to pass Gill a joint before they were pulled over on May 15, 2005 while westbound for the Port Mann Bridge. Asked by the officer what he was smoking, driver Manny Sunga said "just a bit of pot" before surrendering a film canister half full of marijuana. [continues 306 words]
May Not Have Intended To Smoke Pot: Arbitrator One of two bus drivers fired after being suspected of smoking marijuana on their way to work is back on the job following an arbitrator's ruling that he may not have intended to get stoned. Gurmukh Gill was a passenger in a car driven by another Coast Mountain Bus Co. driver who RCMP said appeared to pass Gill a joint before they were pulled over on May 15 while westbound for the Port Mann Bridge. [continues 253 words]
NDP leader Jack Layton says his party will press the Liberals to maintain the federal moratorium on offshore oil exploration in B.C. waters. In a campaign stop in the province last Saturday, Layton accused Prime Minister Paul Martin of remaining silent on the issue, while forcing drilling critic David Anderson out of cabinet. "He was the one person who would speak out on it," Layton said in an interview. "He got dumped from the environment portfolio - that sent a pretty strong message." [continues 467 words]
