STREETS GET MEANER

Drug Dealers, Their Stocks And Weaponry Becoming More Sophisticated: Cops

City drug dens are becoming more dangerous places for their
neighbours, the public and the police.

That was the message Edmonton cops delivered yesterday while showing
off some of $430,000 in drugs, $39,000 in cash and nine guns they
seized in two separate raids earlier this week.

"What makes this significant is the types of drugs that were seized,
the volume of drugs, the weapons and cash," said acting Staff Sgt.
Darren Derko, speaking before a table at police headquarters piled
with bags of marijuana, hashish, ecstasy and cocaine.

The raids led to more than 100 charges against four people. But Derko
said of particular concern was the weaponry involved, including
handguns, a shotgun and assault rifles - some similar to the
folding-stock AK-47-style rifle used in a suspected drug-related
homicide downtown at Beatty Lofts last weekend.

"We have to be concerned about this - not just the public but even as
police officers," he said. "Our vests won't stop this stuff. Our
police vehicles won't stop these bullets."

But Derko added dealers aren't packing guns to use against one
another. He said with business booming, there's currently little
competition among dealers. They're protecting themselves and their
stockpiles of drugs and cash from their clients instead.

Insp. Gerry Gunn said recent seizures also show how the nature of
those drug stocks are changing, with dealers carrying a wider
selection to offer a "one-stop shopping experience."

"The days seem to have shifted from when if you wanted cocaine you
went to one person (and) if you wanted pills, you went to another
person," he said. "It's become a convenience store of drug deals right now."

That's not news to 25-year-old Reanon Larose, visiting a friend in
the area of a home police raided Wednesday at 95 Avenue and 174 Street.

"It's not a surprise," she said. "We have the highest crime rate in
Canada right now, and it only seems like things will get worse.

"Maybe we're growing too quickly."

Tom Copley, 37, agrees. He lives in the area of the other residence
police raided Tuesday at 100 Avenue and 151 Street. He says street
pushers have offered drugs to his 14-year-old daughter waiting for
the bus at Jasper Place, and that he's reported and chased away
dealers from the laneway behind his house.

"I honestly don't know what the answer is," he said.

Gunn admitted this week's seizures are more likely to disrupt one
supply network rather than put a major dent in the citywide drug scene.