DRUG LORDS TARGETED IN POLICE OPERATION

High-Level Coke Busts Paying Off For Cops

The Winnipeg police drug unit is going after the city's high-level cocaine
dealers.

And it's a strategy that's paying big dividends, cops say.

In the city's latest coke bust, police conducted three simultaneous search
warrants Friday at residences in Fort Rouge and St. Boniface that resulted
in three arrests and the seizure of 1,475 grams of cocaine with a street
value of nearly $120,000.

"It reinforces to us the amount of cocaine that is out there," said Sgt.
Ken Shipley of the drug unit.

Big haul

In fact, the mammoth haul -- which also included a small amount of
marijuana and some cash associated to the sale of the drugs -- represents
about the same amount of coke seized in all of 2000. And it's the third
such bust this year.

Police believe the three suspects -- two men and a woman -- arrested Friday
are near "the top of the food chain" of cocaine distribution in Winnipeg.

One of the men arrested also has strong ties to the Hells Angels. "It's
refreshing to know that they aren't as untouchable as people think they
are," Shipley told The Sun. "We can make inroads and we do have successes
at certain levels, as seizures this year have shown."

In four major cocaine busts this year, the drug unit has seized nearly
4,200 grams, Shipley said.

Police expect to continue targeting high-level dealers. Charged with
possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of proceeds,
possession of cocaine and possession of marijuana are William Blake
Shapansky, 44, of Rockcliffe Road; Janice Shapansky, 41, of Rockcliffe
Road; and Doug Reid, 46, of Rosedale Avenue.