DRUG FLOW DISRUPTED WITH BUSTS

Police Spent Friday Trying To Round Up 26 Suspected Dealers

A two-week Nanaimo RCMP undercover operation culminated on Friday
when police started to round up 26 suspected drug dealers.

A dozen officers from various units spent the day combing the streets
for suspects and by press deadline on Friday, nine had yet to be found.

"Word gets out that there's a sweep on," said Nanaimo RCMP Const. Jen
Allan. "Over the next couple of days it will be a priority to take
the individuals into custody."

Those arrested are "bottom-rung" and "street-level" dealers low on
the drug food chain, Allan said. It won't have a significant impact
on Nanaimo's drug supply but the arrests will certainly be felt by
downtown residents and business owners who see drug deals on a daily basis.

"It's going to affect the availability of the drugs in the downtown
areas," Allan said. "We've interrupted the process essentially. We're
not solving all the problems by doing one undercover operation."

The sting focused on the downtown area because police fielded
repeated calls for service in the area over the past few months.

Each suspect will be assessed on a case-by-case basis, Allan said.
Some will be held in custody while others will be released awaiting
court dates.

Allan couldn't give specifics about how police targeted the 26
suspects but said an undercover operator "conducted a number of
transactions" in the downtown area.

Allan said the majority of those arrested are known to police.

Police are using this investigation to silence critics who blame
police for not doing enough to curb Nanaimo's drug problem.

"There have been a number of people asking why the police aren't
acting," she said. "These types of things don't happen overnight.
We're doing our part."