CROWD CRITIQUES POLICE DRUG RAID

Seven people were arrested yesterday following raids in North Preston,
Cherry Brook, Cole Harbour and Dartmouth that netted 65 marijuana plants, a
quantity of crack cocaine, nine vehicles, two all-terrain vehicles and cash.

The raids were the result of a year-long joint investigation by Halifax
Regional Police and the RCMP. The suspects range in age from 28 to 53.

Raids were conducted at residences in Shepherds Lane in Cole Harbour,
MacKenzie Drive in Dartmouth, Neilson Drive in Cherry Brook and Simmonds
Road in North Preston.

A crowd gathered in North Preston as plainclothes and uniformed officers
searched a brick bungalow and adjacant garage on Simmonds Road about 11 a.m.

In a scene reminiscent of a daytime television show, the crowd traded
comments with bystanders on the far side of the police roadblock, and
shouted at the officers.

One woman came out from behind a neighbouring house and yelled that police
were carting off a microwave.

"What are we going to do with no microwave?" she said, to laughter from the
crowd.

One man kept a video camera trained on police during the raid.

At least 20 cars were parked along the side of Simmons Road, with dozens of
people milling around the cars watching the police.

But the watchers didn't want to be watched themselves. A television news
crew was warned several times not to turn the camera on the crowd.

When police hauled away an unlicensed silver Taurus sedan confiscated from
inside the two-door garage at the rear of the house, one man shouted: "They
got all the toys now. They got all the toys."

Another man complained about the heavy police presence, especially just
before noon when children from nearby Nelson Whynder Elementary School
would be heading home for lunch.

"You got to wonder if there's any need for all this," said one man, who did
not want to be identified.

About a dozen officers were involved in the raid, with other police cars
placed strategically around the community.

RCMP spokesman Const. Peter Marshall said extra officers were needed to
remove several large household items and furniture from the home.

"We're not targeting the community," he said. Marshall said more charges
are likely as the investigation continues.

Mounties raided a home in Shubenacadie on Monday, seizing the marijuana
plants and growing equipment. Two men and one woman arrested there face
charges of cultivating marijuana.