POLICE CHARGE 30 IN DRUG RAIDS

Two-Day Sweep Hits North Shore, Sault

Drug raids were carried out Thursday in several communities along the North
Shore, resulting in trafficking charges for 30 people, including one man
from Sudbury.

The police raids in Spanish, Massey, Elliot Lake and Espanola came one day
after several raids in Sault Ste. Marie.

The two-day operation is the product of a nine-month investigation called
Project Mustang. Members of six area police forces, including the Elliot
Lake and Greater Sudbury police, took part.

Over the past few months, undercover police officers made numerous
purchases of cocaine, hash oil and marijuana worth $30,000, setting up the
series of raids.

Derail Local Trafficking

OPP Senior Const. Paul Hill of the East Algoma Detachment said the raids
will help to derail drug trafficking in northeastern Ontario.

"We're certainly hoping that it will have a long-term impact on the drug
activity in the area and on the amount of drugs we see on the street," he said.

Det. Insp. Moe Elbers, the deputy director of the OPP drug prevention
division, said undercover officers were able to infiltrate street-level to
mid-level drug dealers operating in the Sudbury and Algoma districts.

Elbers and Sault police chief Bob Davies conceded, during a press
conference Thursday in Sault Ste. Marie, that it is not a big drug bust.

However, said Elbers, the investigation targetted the "cocaine crowd," and
gathered intelligence to further other ongoing investigations.

Davies said, "it is yet to be seen how much effect this has on the
street-level drug dealers in this city. But if you look at the list, these
are all people who have not been charged previously. In addition, it puts
the message out there that police are active and watching.

"But there's no doubt that there continues to be drugs on the street."

Among those charged with trafficking a controlled substance include Normand
Imbeau of Sudbury; James Belanger, Stacy Sauve, John Smith and Crystal
Solomon of Spanish; John Christiansen, Jeremiah Duncan and Vanessa Trudeau
of Massey; Benjamin Grose, Patrick Carew, Douglas Noble, Kathleen Scott and
Dominic Salmaso of Espanola; Calvin Timbers of Webbwood, David Faulkner of
Walford, Douglas Cameron of Elliot Lake.

Certain individuals are also charged with other offences, including breach
of probation.

Fourteen others from the Sault Ste. Marie area have also been charged.

Trafficking charges are pending on four other individuals.