Copyright: 2004 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: letters@thejournal.canwest.com
Website: http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

CRACK DEALERS TARGET RURAL AREAS WHERE INFLATED PRICES MEAN BIG PROFITS

THE PAS, Man. (CP) -- Crack cocaine has become the drug of choice in
northern Manitoba because dealers can make bigger profits in rural areas
than they can in urban areas, RCMP say.

Mounties made their latest seizure of the drug Thursday when officers
arrested two Winnipeg men and confiscated more than 20 grams of crack.

Cpl. Pat Olson said the seizure was the 50th made by police in the past two
years.

"We've got a high rate of people on social assistance, and a lot of that
money goes up in smoke in the form of crack cocaine," Olson said. "The
community doesn't want it. It's a priority for us to deal with it. It's
doing nothing for the community socially or economically."

The community and surrounding area, which has a population of about 13,000
people, has been targeted by drug dealers because they can make more money
selling there than in Winnipeg.

A rock of crack cocaine sells for about $40 in Winnipeg, but in Manitoba's
north the price can be as high as $70.

Olson said crack cocaine first started appearing in The Pas about two years
ago.

He would not comment on the total dollar amount of the crack cocaine seized
since the drug first appeared.

"I'll only say we've removed several thousand rocks," he said. "I don't
want to give a dollar amount -- it just shows how lucrative it is."

Olson said with the rise in seizures, RCMP are also noticing a rise in
robbery and other property crimes as users try to get money to pay for the
drug.