Murder Victims Known To York Police The murder of two Georgina bikers, among the eight Bandidos gang members shot to death in southwestern Ontario last weekend, will have little impact on outlaw biker gang activity in York Region, police said. "Specifically, it doesn't mean that much," York Regional Police investigative services Insp. Tom Carrique said. "Just that two residents were victims in a homicide." Eight bodies were found last Saturday stuffed in several abandoned vehicles on a farm in Shedden in what has been called one of the worst mass murders in Ontario's history. [continues 655 words]
Chinese Leader Sees Grow-Ops As Problem As the newest member of York Region's police services board, Richmond Hill entrepreneur Daisy Wai is ready to tackle some serious issues. "One of the major concerns in this community is the (marijuana) grow ops," she said. "I know the board has been working hard on this issue already, but we must do all we can to get rid of this problem." Ms Wai, who runs two advertising firms in Richmond Hill, moved to the area from Hong Kong 23 years ago. [continues 182 words]
Hydroponic stores should help police track down marijuana grow operations, a York Regional Police drug squad officer says. If indoor growing supply shops tracked customer purchases and informed police of suspicious buys, it would make stopping large-scale marijuana operations easier, Det. Don Cardwell said. "We just want them to co-operate with us," he said. But just because a store sells hydroponics and indoor growing equipment, it doesn't mean it's supplying marijuana operations, Wendy Herbert of Markham Hydroponics said. [continues 416 words]
Many Customers Grow Vegetables: Shop Owner Hydroponic stores should help police track down marijuana grow operations, a York Regional Police drug squad officer says. If indoor growing supply shops tracked customer purchases and informed police of suspicious buys, it would make stopping large-scale marijuana operations easier, Det. Don Cardwell said. "We just want them to co-operate with us," he said. But just because a store sells hydroponics and indoor growing equipment, it doesn't mean it's supplying marijuana operations, Wendy Herbert of Markham Hydroponics said. [continues 415 words]
Policies Fixed After Officers Found Guilty Of Faking Notes The chief of police and president of the York Regional Police association can agree on one thing; the grand total of four York cops facing disciplinary hearings is not very many. "I get upset when I see any police officer has not followed our procedure," Chief Armand La Barge said. "It bothers me and upsets me. But with almost 1,200 officers on staff, having four before disciplinary tribunals is not an outrageous number. And it must be remembered that these are charges, no officer has been found guilty. They've simply been charged and are innocent until proven guilty." [continues 285 words]
The chief of police and president of the York Regional Police association can agree on one thing; the grand total of four York cops facing disciplinary hearings is not very many. "I get upset when I see any police officer has not followed our procedure," Chief Armand La Barge said. "It bothers me and upsets me. But with almost 1,200 officers on staff, having four before disciplinary tribunals is not an outrageous number. "And it must be remembered that these are charges, no officer has been found guilty. They've simply been charged and are innocent until proven guilty." [continues 217 words]
News two York drug officers were disciplined for making up notes on a case months after a big investigation could lead to a flood of appeals. Stephen Brown, the York Region representative of the Criminal Lawyers Association, is not asking the Attorney General's office to review every one of the officers' old cases. But local defence lawyers with clients convicted on evidence primarily gathered by the two officers will be taking a close look at those cases as it could give them grounds to appeal, he said. [continues 464 words]
News two York drug officers were disciplined for making up notes on a case months after a big investigation could lead to a flood of appeals. Stephen Brown, the York Region representative of the Criminal Lawyers Association, is not asking the Attorney General's office to review every one of the officers' old cases. But local defence lawyers with clients convicted on evidence primarily gathered by the two officers will be taking a close look at those cases as it could give them grounds to appeal, he said. [continues 501 words]
Five years ago, Jessica Weihrich was a straight-A student from an upper-middle class family without a care in the world. No one would have suspected she would soon be strung out on heroin and crack and selling her body to feed her addiction. "I was a normal teenager. I had it all and I threw it all away for drugs," the Ottawa resident told a smattering of concerned parents and teenagers at a drug and addiction forum in Aurora Thursday night. [continues 697 words]
Alcohol, Drugs Can Lead To Ruin, Street Survivor Warns Students Five years ago, Jessica Weihrich was a straight A student from an upper-middle class family without a care in the world. No one would have suspected she would soon be strung out on heroin and crack and selling her body to feed her addiction. "I was a normal teenager. I had it all and I threw it all away for drugs," the Ottawa resident told a smattering of concerned parents and teenagers at a drug and addiction forum in Aurora Thursday night. [continues 595 words]
Crystal meth's popularity has spread across British Columbia over the past four years as fast as a wildfire in the interior. Now law enforcement experts agree, York Region and the rest of the Greater Toronto Area could be the next logical destination for the dangerous drug and labs that create it. "If it's not there now, you can bet it soon will be," said Corp. Scott Rintoul with the RCMP's drug enforcement branch in B.C. "In the 1980s there was coke. In the '90s crack. In the new millennium, it's all about crystal meth." [continues 937 words]
Drug of the millennium on way from west coast Crystal meth's popularity has spread across British Columbia over the past four years as fast as a wildfire in the interior. Now law enforcement experts agree, York Region and the rest of the Greater Toronto Area could be the next logical destination for the dangerous drug and labs that create it. "If it's not there now, you can bet it soon will be," said Corp. Scott Rintoul with the RCMP's drug enforcement branch in B.C. "In the 1980s there was coke. In the '90s crack. In the new millennium, it's all about crystal meth." [continues 1129 words]
Crystal Meth Dangerous To Produce, Use Crystal meth's popularity has spread across British Columbia over the past four years as fast as a wildfire in the interior. Now, law enforcement experts agree York Region and the rest of the Greater Toronto Area could be the next logical destination for the dangerous drug and labs that create it. "If it's not there now, you can bet it soon will be," said Corp. Scott Rintoul with the RCMP's drug enforcement branch in BC. "In the 1980s there was coke. In the '90s crack. In the new millennium, it's all about crystal meth." [continues 1132 words]
Constable Surrenders At Markham Station An eight-year veteran of York Regional Police and her husband are facing drug charges after a search of the couple's Georgina home turned up drugs and paraphernalia. Police were tight lipped about how the investigation began, but drug cops were watching the officer's husband, the owner of Herbal Health Food in Newmarket, and pulled him over near Herald Road and Woodbine Avenue in East Gwillimbury as he was driving home Friday. He was arrested on drug possession and trafficking charges after officers found cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana and hashish in the car, along with a large quantity of pills believed to be steroids. [continues 298 words]
An eight-year veteran of York Regional Police and her husband are facing drug charges after a search of the couple's Georgina home turned up drugs and paraphernalia. Police were tight lipped about how the investigation began, but drug cops were watching the officer's husband, the owner of Herbal Health Food in Newmarket, and pulled him over near Herald Road and Woodbine Avenue in East Gwillimbury as he was driving home Friday. He was arrested on drug possession and trafficking charges after officers found cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana and hashish in the car, along with a large quantity of pills believed to be steroids. [continues 218 words]
An eight-year veteran of York Regional Police and her husband are facing drug charges after a search of the couple's Georgina home turned up drugs and paraphernalia. Police were tight lipped about how the investigation began, but drug cops were watching the officer's husband and pulled him over near Herald Road and Woodbine Avenue in East Gwillimbury as he was driving home Friday. He was arrested on drug possession and trafficking charges after officers found cocaine, ecstasy, marijuana and hashish in the car, along with a large quantity of pills believed to be steroids. [continues 219 words]
