DOZENS OF PROSTITUTES CHARGED WITH TRAFFICKING AFTER POLICE STING

EDMONTON - Dozens of sex-trade workers who were allegedly supplementing
their earnings by selling drugs on the side have been charged following a
four-month undercover operation.

The sting started after police received numerous complaints from residents
and business owners in several inner-city communities about increased crime
and traffic due to prostitutes and drugs in their neighbourhoods, including
Alberta Avenue, McDougall, Queen Mary Park, Norwood, McCauley, Boyle and
downtown.

Sgt. Kevin Galvin, who heads the downtown beat unit, said police did a
search of their computer system and found 35 people were responsible for
more than 500 responses by police.

Nor is the fact that many sex trade workers also sell drugs on the side
new, Galvin said.

"They are quite candid about their choice between getting into a car with a
strange man and performing their activity for money versus trafficking
drugs for basically the same amount of money. It's the lesser of two evils
for them," he said.

Fifty officers participated in the four-month sting. They came from two
beat units, the drug street team, the drug unit, tactical, patrol, forensic
identification and the arrest processing unit.

Officers posed as customers and approached sex trade workers looking to buy
drugs. Fifty-five street workers -- 51 women and four men -- were charged
with a total of 97 drug-related offences. The accused range in age from 18
to 50.

Mark, the manager of a liquor store on 107th Avenue, said he has seen a
decline in the number of women working the streets in the area since the sting.

"We operate the building we are in and every day we see the evidence of
them being here. We see the needles, the condom wrappers, the used condoms
- -- it's pretty gross. It's not good for business," he said.

Mark, who declined to give his last name, said he is happy with the way
police responded to community concerns. "They are very good for that. When
we call them, they come out and harass them. If police weren't here, I know
it would be a lot worse."

The manager of a hair salon on Alberta Avenue, who also complained to
police, said she has seen a 100-per-cent improvement in the area of the
shop since the sting went into effect.

"It's nice and clean," said Annette, who made her complaints to the Alberta
Avenue beat officers.

"I have found police on foot can make a difference. You can call the
complaint line, but sometimes they don't send anyone out or they come too
late," she said.

LIST OF CHARGES

Fifty-five sex-trade workers were charged with 97 drug-related offences,
including:

- - Fifty-seven counts of trafficking a controlled substance --
methamp-hetamine or crack cocaine.

- - Two counts of possession of a controlled substance.

- - Twenty-nine criminal warrants executed.

- - Seven Criminal Code offences -- breach of judicial orders of release.

- - One count of possession for the purpose of trafficking.

- - One count of obstruction.