ORGANIZED CRIME IS ON THE RISE LOCALLY

Not only is organized crime prevalent in Kelowna and the Okanagan, an RCMP
organized crime intelligence officer says it is growing quickly.

The corporal at the southeast district headquarters says outlaw motorcycle
gangs appear to be taking a more active role behind the scenes of Kelowna.

"Kelowna, from my perspective, is becoming more of a hub of activity," he says.

"It's becoming a meeting point for outlaw motorcycle gangs from across the
country on a consistent basis."

To speak about organized crime, Corporal M. insisted on anonymity. He says
it's imperative that he keep a low profile.

"If I become known it makes it that much harder to do the job of gathering
intelligence," he said.

He says Mayor Walter Gray is correct when he says that people don't take it
seriously enough.

Chances are we see it every day, it's just hidden or rather we see it, but
we don't.

When police raid a marijuana grower, he may be on the bottom rung of a long
ladder. A string of break and enter thefts may be related to a local cell.

But organized crime doesn't stop there, he said.

In most cases it is a mixture of crimes like insurance scams, prostitution,
strippers, credit card scams and property crimes along with a host of
legitimate businesses which may or may not be legitimizing their ill-gotten
gains.

"They will be anywhere they can make a good fast buck."

RCMP estimate that organized crime is a $9 billion a year industry in
Canada and may control as much as 70 per cent of B.C.'s marijuana
trade.Cpl. M says those are likely conservative estimates.

He says the RCMP has made organized crime a top priority and it is being
shown at the local level as they gather intelligence about their
activities. The biker gangs know they are targets.

"They know that they are being watched. They also know that they'll get
away with more than they will get caught with," he said. "They're nobody to
fool with but they are not infallible."