POLICE: TARGET STREET-LEVEL DRUG DEALING IN DOWNTOWN CORE

Plainclothes police officers from 14 and 51 divisions, alongside the
Toronto Drug Squad, have come together to curb street-level drug
dealing in downtown residential areas and community parks.

Through the five-week undercover Blue Diamond Project and Project
DEED (Drug Enforcement Everywhere Downtown), Toronto Police arrested
150 alleged drug dealers and laid 428 charges for trafficking,
possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking and possessing
proceeds of crime. Police say the 150 arrested individuals have a
total of 2,276 previous criminal convictions.

Drug sweeps were conducted in Parkdale, Bloor/Lansdowne,
Church/Seaton and Regent Park.

Police also seized approximately $240,000 worth of narcotics and
$80,000 in proceeds from drug trafficking. Some of the drugs seized
included crack cocaine, powder cocaine, marijuana, hashish, ecstasy,
crystal methamphetamine, ketamine, GHB, oxycodone, valium, Viagra,
codeine and lorazepam.

During their investigation, police found that the alleged drug
dealers would move from one downtown area to another to avoid detection.

Aside from seizing narcotics and apprehending suspected drug dealers,
the initiative also includes a follow-up maintenance program through
the two divisions. This program is one aspect of the arrested
parties' strict, court-imposed bail conditions.

Members of TAVIS (Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy) rapid
response teams will also continue to patrol affected communities
throughout the summer months to ensure those out on bail abide by the
conditions of their release.

"We are not going away. We will not abandon the communities we serve.
We are bringing in reinforcements to ensure our mission is
successful," said 51 Division Det. Sgt. Howie Page, in a release.

"We are going to be very clear in our caution to those who believe
they can take over our community parks and neighbourhoods. We have
promised the downtown community that we would be proactive in ridding
the parks and neighbourhoods of street-level drug dealing."