CRIMINOLOGY STUDENT GETS UP-CLOSE LOOK AT NANAIMO DRUG BUST

NANAIMO -- A criminology student got an up-close look at her area of
study after a police raid capped six weeks of alleged drug dealing in
a suite below her own.

Sarah, who asked that her last name not be used, said police earlier
mistakenly arrested her roommate and then broke down the wrong door
during the raid.

Sarah said she and her roommates frequently had people knocking on
their door at all hours. "I'd go down there at two in the morning, and
there'd be some guy with no teeth saying 'sorry, I got the wrong door.'"

The door layout also caused some confusion for police, said
Sarah.

Earlier this month, plainclothes officers watched as one of her
roommates went out with her boyfriend. A few blocks away police
swooped in and arrested them as suspected drug dealers. "They mistook
our front door for [the drug dealers'] front door." The couple was
released and police acknowledged the error.

The doors again caused confusion for police during this week's raid.
When Sarah and a roommate heard banging they realized police were
forcing open a door that led to their laundry area, not to the lower
suite.

"The door goes flying and there's wood chips everywhere," said Sarah.
It was fixed that evening by the landlord.

Five people are charged after police seized 174 grams of cocaine, 119
grams of meth and 300 tablets of ecstasy. Small amounts of heroin and
marijuana were also seized, as well as $9,500 in cash, counterfeit
bills, stolen property and a set of brass knuckles.