CRIME STOPPERS HELPS REIN IN GROW OPERATORS

Informants Have Received $11,275 In Past Two Years

More people than just the growers appear to be making money off
marijuana in Nanaimo.

According to figures released by Nanaimo Crime Stoppers, it has given
out $11,275 in rewards in the last two years, much of it to people who
turned in pot growers.

"I think a lot of that has to do with our (marijuana) grow shows,"
said Const. Chuck Campbell, the RCMP co-ordinator of the program. "Our
Green Team is very busy."

In 2001 police in Nanaimo seized nearly $1.3 million in drugs through
Crime Stoppers tips.

That more than doubled from $492,570 in drugs seized in
2000.

But the number of tips between 2001 and 2000 remained about the same,
at 334 and 331 respectively. Last year there were 41 arrests as a
result of Crime Stoppers tips, compared to 27 the year before.

The value of property recovered also increased significantly last
year, going from $51,271 in 2000 to $95,380.

In those two years, the amount of reward money paid out averaged about
$225.

While the maximum reward money Crime Stoppers pays is $2,000, actual
amounts paid for tips are not detailed.

The larger sums are reserved for serious crimes.

Jens Nielsen, who was president of Nanaimo Crime Stoppers in 2001,
attributed part of the success of the program last year to an
aggressive approach to soliciting tips.

They initiated a most wanted page with The Daily News, and promoted
Crime Stoppers.

"I know the board took a very focused view on the type of tips they
wanted to get," said Nielsen.

Roy Fisher, Crime Stoppers president this year, said the focus will
remain on marijuana growing operations and break and enters.

But Fisher said one thing remains a priority: "the key to it all is
the anonymity of it."

He said callers never have to give their names, and Crime Stoppers
does not use call display.