ORGANIZED CRIME HAS ARRIVED IN SMALL-TOWN B.C.

While the three hubs of organized crime in Canada are Montreal,
Toronto and Vancouver, there is no question that organized crime
groups have expanded into central and northern B.C., says the NCO in
charge of the RCMP's E Division Strategic Communications Section.

Sgt. Tim Shields was commenting on the Criminal Intelligence Service
Canada's 2008 report on organized crime released Friday in Montreal.

Shields took the opportunity to make a detailed statement on organized
crime in this B.C.:

"In British Columbia, the illicit marijuana industry alone is
estimated at $6 billion per year. This figure does not include revenue
from the sale of crystal meth, cocaine and heroin, and from identity
theft, credit card fraud, prostitution, gun smuggling, human
trafficking, and money laundering -- all of which are traditional
activities for organized crime groups. But even more alarming is the
violent crime associated to organized crime such as shootings in
public places, kidnappings and the murders of innocent people.

"Members of organized crime groups are not law abiding citizens --
they don't play by the rules our communities live by. Their greed
supersedes all the laws and values that we as a society embrace.

Normal law-abiding citizens consider the impact of their behaviors and
actions; these people don't. They think nothing of selling drugs to
our children, taking advantage of our elderly or opening fire in our
neighbourhoods.

"What are police doing about it? In B.C. - a great deal. Today there
are more than 17 police units and government agencies actively working
together to combat organized crime. But this is not just a problem for
the police to solve in isolation -- it is a problem for the entire
community to take a stand against. Our attitude towards organized
crime needs to be one of zero tolerance. There are fathers, mothers,
girlfriends, sisters and brothers who know all too well that a loved
one is involved with organized crime and who have chosen to turn a
blind eye to it. But we have all seen first hand that any association
to someone involved in organized crime presents a clear and present
danger to the entire family and any innocent person who happens to get
in the way."

Shields said police often see cases where, say, a 20-year-old man in a
family suddenly starts to drive a BMW, a Hummer or an Expedition, goes
to Mexico four times a year and doesn't hold a job, but no one in his
family asks questions. "These are the areas where intervention at a
young age will make all the difference in a young man's life," he said
Friday.

"Organized crime is never victimless. It affects all of us either
through jeopardizing public safety or financially due to the
underground economy. It is in everyone's best interest to stop it."

Commenting on recent shootings in downtown in Prince George, Shields
observed, "If it's happening in Prince George and Surrey now, who
knows where it will happen tomorrow. It could be in Kelowna. "It's not
just a problem confined to the big cities."

If you are aware of organized crime activities, call your local
police, or, if you wish to remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers at
1-800-222-TIPS.