Cops sweep up suspected drug dealers
Published: Thursday, November 15, 2007 Nanaimo Daily News
RCMP arrested a number of street-level drug dealers on Wednesday, following a two-week undercover operation aimed at shutting down what police said was practically an open-air downtown drug market.
Charges were expected to be laid against 22 people, most for dealing crack cocaine, said Nanaimo RCMP Const. Jen Allan.
RCMP were responding to a growing number of complaints from residents and downtown business owners about open drug dealing.
"I think it's safe to say that we're going to see an immediate impact, but in terms of the longer term, it's hard to predict," said Allan.
The bust started around 8 a.m. and continued throughout the day. By late Wednesday, police had arrested 15 of the 22 suspects.
"Within the first half-hour we were out there making arrests, word spread that something was going on," said Allan.
Despite news about the roundup reaching the drug community quickly, Allan said it is only a matter of time before all 22 suspects are taken into custody.
"It's a priority for us to get these people arrested," she said. "If I was a betting person, I would say a few of the local drug traffickers are nervous."
Last August, police arrested 26 street-level dealers in a similar attempt to put a dent in Nanaimo's drug supply.
Allan said the RCMP are working with the Crown to ensure dealers are subject to stringent controls and conditions upon release.
Those conditions might include a "no-go" order for the so-called red zone in the downtown or a prohibition on cellphones or pagers.
George Hanson, of the Downtown Nanaimo Partnership, said the bust was a step in the right direction for curbing social issues in the area.
"We think that is an important piece in the overall equation," he said.
"In and of itself it's not an answer but it's part of the solution."
© The Daily News (Nanaimo) 2007
Hahahaha...the RCMP stole my press coverage!!!!! Doesn't that just beat all? It was quite a show out here yesterday, let me tell you. This paddy wagon circling and circling the hood. Temporary measures, to be sure, but still, we were cheering. And last night, the same few cars cruising around and around and around looking to score and wondering where everybody was. It was almost funny...almost.
I wonder how many of those arrested are already back out there?!? And, of course, my neighbourhood is not a red-zone because that's only for business interests for some reason...go figure.
"Practically an open-air drug market..."the RCMP were quoted in this article. Hmmmmmnnn. That sounds awfully familiar, doesn't it?!?
11 comments:
Yay! I've never heard that red zones are only for business...didn't they make that area on Haliburton a red zone? Hopefully what will happen is that they will all move to a new area in hopes of escaping scrutiny. Not good for whereever they go, but you need a rest.
yes...the park on Haliburton and Nob Hill Park
are red zones, but not any residential neighbourhood. I dread them moving en masse to another neighbourhood. They shouldn't be allowed to swarm any area because that's when all the trouble begins.
22 drug dealers...I wonder how many customers they each have? And on it goes. If you start to do the math...boggles the mind.
Well, its a start, I guess. At least there was some kind of effort. As I read this in the paper this morning, I couldn't help but wonder what time today they will all be back.
It would be great if there was some follow-up in the paper as to who the dealers are (with pictures) and how they are being punished.
Well you need some good news, let's hope that this makes things quieter for a while. They should publish their mug shots in the press.
It's a bandaid...and not even a bandaid-brand bandaid. I don't think publishing their photos would matter...they sell drugs on street corners, they don't care who sees them.
Now if the police did this day and night, several times a week...
Yeah, I am watching drug deals on the corner right now...hasn't even been 24 hours.
Y'know, ya gotta feel like slapping your forehead when they start talking their media talk.
I'd love it if they'd shut up and get busy and get to work!!!
They should know, they should know because history repeats itself, that they've got to be right back out there again to catch them. That's the first place they'll go.
Aaarrrgghhhh!!!!
Olly said it perfectly, short and sweet.
Also, we need serious harm reduction programs and services to help those who can't help themselves.
But we also need to come down hard on those who won't play and cause havoc in others lives. Once alcohol and drug abuse effects those around you, it is no longer a personal choice.
But, I'm still movin'
I agree with Olly with the follow up thing. I have suggested to the local papers that they do what is done in other cities; "Court Watch."
The media place a reporter in the local criminal court and report in the papers who, what and where. If the general population knew of the limp dick sentencing metted out in BC, most would be agast.
Than again, BC is reaping what it sowed.
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