SMOKING OUT THE DRUG TRADE

Police try to strike balance between show of force and exhibiting
patience in an ongoing battle against the lucrative drug business in
Prince Edward Island.

Along with a weapon, Const. Wayne Conrad needs to pack plenty of
patience to police the illegal drug trade in Prince Edward Island.

The only quick fix in this lucrative business is the high that users
get from pot, cocaine, heroin and other drugs that feed the trade.

Officers like Conrad need to take their time to put a decent dent in
this crime that is largely fuelled by addiction.

Surveillance, for example, is a key part of Conrad's job as one of the
seven RCMP officers who, along with two municipal joint force
officers, make up the RCMP drug unit for the province.

The task is often time consuming and tiresome. Commonly, police team
up so they have two sets of eyes focusing on a key site, such as a
known drug house.

"Well, it's not quite like the TV shows where it's all done in an
hour,'' said Conrad.

"We sit for long periods of time waiting for something -- hours and
sometimes days at a time.''

The mandate of the RCMP drug section, a federal police unit, is to
identify and investigate organized groups with the goal of bringing
them to court and hopefully dismantling their illegal operation.

Conrad said his unit ultimately aims beyond the street level dealer or
the mid-level dealer, to the top players that are making a pile of
money.

"So when we say the investigation is continuing, it's (doing) just
that,'' he said. "We like to take the time, make sure it's done right.''

More than three years of police work by the RCMP and other law
enforcement agencies went into the arrests of 25 people in 2003 in a
major drug operation. The wide net scooped up 11 in Prince Edward
Island, nine in Ontario and five in Nova Scotia, netting close to 160
conspiracy charges.

Patience was not only needed in rounding up the large group of drug
players, but time ticked by as police and others waited to see justice
served.

"We're just finishing now, three years later, the last four
individuals,'' said Conrad.

"So it gives you an idea of how long it takes to go through the
process in the court system.''

Plenty of people pay a relatively small price when convicted of either
possessing or pushing drugs.

According to Statistics Canada, 21 drug possession convictions in
Prince Edward Island in 2003 resulted in only four jail sentences. A
total of 12 drug trafficking convictions the same year led to 12
prison terms.

One factor may be the previous federal Liberal government's soft
stance on cannabis -- a drug that remains very popular in Prince
Edward Island.

Conrad said marijuana and hashish smokers are still the largest group
of drug users in the province. He suggests they don't have too much to
fear over indulging in their illegal activity.

"It is no longer an offence that you can take fingerprints for, for
example,'' he said. "And it's only a fine if it's under 30 grams of
weed and a gram of hash. So that kind of sends a message.''

And many Islanders seem keen to grow their own.

Since 2000, investigations of 88 individual indoor and outdoor grow
operations in Prince Edward Island each led to the seizure of
marijuana plants. Elmwood, Summerside and Murray Harbour lead the pack
with four grow ops each that police uncovered in the past six-plus
years.

Conrad, though, is pleased with what is happening in Island courts
today. He said he has seen some strong sentences imposed on mid-level
drug dealers in the last three years.

"And I'm optimistic that is going to continue,'' he
said.

Conrad offered some telling police statistics that offer a broader
picture of the scope of the drug trade in Prince Edward Island than do
the Stats Can conviction numbers from 2003.

In 2004 and 2005 combined, police in P.E.I. investigated more than 150
drug-related occurrences. More than 100 people were charged with
drug-related offences over those two years with an additional 35
handled through different measures, such as the Youth Justice Program.

Also, more than 350 drug-related seizures were made over that
period.

"As always, if the demand is there, there's going to be supply because
it is a lucrative, profitting business,'' said Conrad.

"For every street dealer or mid-level dealer who is brought before the
courts, there is always someone kind of coming behind to pick up the
slack or to replace that person.''

Conrad said the golden rule is people in the drug business should be
able to double their investment. In other words, a $10,000 expenditure
should reap a $20,000 return.

Const. Walter Vessey of the Charlottetown Police joint drug force
unit, said many in the drug trade plan on building a small fortune
fast.

"A lot of drug traffickers have what they call the Freedom 35
retirement plan . . . have enough money stashed by the time they are
35 to retire,'' he said.

Conrad said "runners'' are commonly used to bring drugs into Prince
Edward Island. Drug dealers also have courier services unwittingly
deliver their product to the Island.

Some still take to the sky to get drugs into the province, but with
increased screening and tightened security at airports, this means of
transporting illegal substances is increasingly risky.

Conrad said while supply to P.E.I. is continuously changing, one
well-known group can always be counted on for having a hand in the
movement of drugs to the province.

"There is always a prevalent, significant influence from the Hells
Angels in Quebec and Ontario of supply of drugs into P.E.I.,'' he said.

Most notably cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine.

A recent raid in Charlottetown that netted police drugs, money and
other items believed to be the proceeds of crime included a search and
seizure on Route 81, the official merchandising store of the Hells
Angels.

In a 2002 report on outlaw motorcycle gangs, the Criminal Intelligence
Service Canada determined that the Hells Angels Halifax chapter had
influence over the Charlottetown Harley Club in P.E.I.

Also, the report concluded that a successful operation against the
Hells Angels Halifax chapter indicated "the gang's extensive
involvement in drug trafficking.''

Meanwhile, Conrad said police have serious concern with the increased
demand in P.E.I. for drugs that can pack a deadly punch.

Demand is strong in the province for hard-core prescription drugs,
cocaine and crack cocaine, he said.

And ecstasy seems to be the drug of choice for many young Islanders.
Police are finding that methamphetamine -- a highly addictive,
stimulant drug -- is a prominent ingredient in much of the ecstasy
making the rounds in the province.

Cpl. Reg Campbell, RCMP drug awareness co-ordinator for P.E.I., tries
to hammer home the message to youth that when it comes to street
drugs, they don't really know what they are buying -- and ingesting.

Campbell's focus is on working towards reducing demand.

He said about 18 Island officers with the RCMP and the Charlottetown
Police are trained to deliver the Drug Abuse Resistance Education
(D.A.R.E.) program.

"Our goal is to get that education and awareness out to our youth so
that they can have the tools and the information necessary to make the
right judgment when they are being faced with the possibility of
taking drugs,'' he said.

Campbell advises parents to deliver straight talk to their children
about drugs.

"Drugs are found almost everywhere in today's society,'' he said. "So
trying to shelter the kids from it or ignoring it, is not going to
work. So be open with the kids.''

Campbell said indicators that a youth may be into drugs include
changes in behaviour, a drastic decline in grades, change of friends,
extra spending and selling of personal items.

Police also urge the public to take action if they suspect drug
activity in their community.

"Pick up the phone, call the police,'' said Campbell.

Conrad sees drugs ruin many lives in Prince Edward
Island.

Recently, a young Island man died after taking too much
cocaine.

Every day, though, there are victims from the addicted youth to family
members dealing with that individual's addiction, said Conrad.

"There are families having to pay off drug dealers for their son or
daughter's addiction because they just continue to be harassed and
hassled," he said.

"The majority of home invasions," he added, "are drug-related, either
for the dope in the home or the money that they know may be there to
get them (the drug users) their next crack piece or pill or whatever."