PROCEEDS FROM SALE OF SEIZED RESTAURANT WILL GO TO
GOV'T

Naicam's Station restaurant, once a popular destination for quality
dining that was seized in an RCMP drug investigation in 2005, went up
for sale Wednesday for roughly $28,000.

The restaurant, located in a converted train station in the town about
180 kilometres east of Saskatoon, had been a staple of northeast
Saskatchewan for decades, said Naicam Mayor Rodger Hayward.

In the last few years, however, it had been neglected and had fallen
into disrepair.

Then, through the course of an 18-month drug investigation, it was
discovered that the place was also being used as a distribution point
for methamphetamine.

In January 2005, three people connected to the restaurant, including
the owner, were charged with a total of more than 35 counts of traffi
cking, conspiracy to commit traffi cking and possession of the
proceeds of a crime.

The owner and one of the individuals have been convicted and a third
remains before the courts.

In addition to the Station restaurant, three vehicles were
subsequently seized by the Crown.

The Crown recently decided to sell the property, the proceeds of which
will be returned to the government.

RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Brad Kaeding said the seizure of the restaurant
sends the message that people who commit crime, no matter where it
happens, will be punished accordingly.

"Hopefully the message that the public gets out of this is that nobody
is immune," said Kaeding.

"It's not just the big cities, (drug activity is) also coming to our
small towns." The restaurant was the fi rst Saskatchewan business
seized in connection with crystal meth activity.

Hayward said the Station's closure has left the town with a total of
three restaurants, none of which specialize in fi ne dining.

"We definitely miss it in town," said Hayward.

"It was definitely a special place for Naicam.

People identify (the town) with it." The Station was a popular tourist
destination, attracting regular patrons from as far away as Saskatoon,
Hayward said.

The initial police investigation was sparked by a town hall meeting
held to create community awareness of crystal meth, Hayward said. The
next day, RCMP took a call from a concerned resident.

"People had pretty much had enough," he said, adding drug-related
criminal activity, such as breaking and entering, had been on the rise.

Since the initial arrests, however, Hayward said he's seen the level
of drug-related activity go down in the community.

"We're not naive, we know this isn't over," he said. "(But) we're kind
of getting back to normal." Selling the Station might be a step in the
right direction for the long-term, Hayward said. The interior of the
building needs a lot of work, he said, mainly because it has been
unoccupied for more than two years.

"Hopefully it sells," said Hayward. "We defi nitely want to attract
people to the town."