DRUG BUST COULD BE A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME

RCMP Resources Taking Aim At Growing Problem In The Area

A major drug bust at the Grande Prairie airport was more a product of
the time and manpower committed to rooting out dealers rather than
the sign of a drug epidemic, a local police officer says.

"Successes are the direct result of the resources that are dedicated
toward those specific types of investigations," said Cpl. Gary Beam
of Grande Prairie RCMP's drug section. "Now that we have increased
our dedicated resources toward those investigations, we anticipate
increased successes."

Essentially, Beam was that added resource. About a month ago, he was
the officer added to the detachment's one-man drug investigation unit.

Although all of the detachment members often handle and assist on
drug cases, he and Const. John Wilson are the only two dedicated for
investigating such matters on a full-time basis.

Earlier this week, the newly-bolstered unit scored its biggest bust
yet, seizing more than $20,000 worth of cocaine and ecstasy as well
as cash and drug paraphernalia at the airport.

Kenneth Scharfl, 42, of High Level was arrested Monday afternoon in
the airport's parking lot, just minutes after stepping off a plane
from Abbotsford, B.C.

Officers were tipped off about his arrival by a member of the public.
Information brought forward during a show-cause hearing in court
Tuesday revealed that after police apprehended the suspect, they
found a quantity of cocaine concealed on his body.

The suspect then told police that more drugs could be found in his
luggage, which police did after executing a search warrant. In all,
about six ounces of cocaine, in powder, crack and liquid form, as
well as about 40 tablets of the party drug ecstasy, were found in the
suspect's possession. Also found were bags, a weigh scale and other
drug paraphernalia.

Scharfl has pleaded guilty to two counts of possession for the
purposes of trafficking and was released from jail on $10,000 bail to
attend to personal matters in High Level.

His sentencing hearing is set for Wednesday at 9:30 a.m.

It's believed the drugs were to be sold at various points in
northwestern Alberta.

Last Friday, RCMP arrested a 38-year-old Grande Prairie man in the
downtown area. The arrest led police to search a south-side home
which resulted in a small amount of cocaine, 0.1 kilograms (quarter
pound) of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and more than $3,000 cash
being seized. Charges are pending and the unidentified individual
will appear in court in February.

Although the busts make for glaring headlines, Beam maintains that
the drug flow here isn't any worse than it is for a city of Grande
Prairie's size and economic strength.

"Obviously because Grande Prairie is booming, it can be considered
the hub of the northwest. In any booming economy where employment is
high and there's job opportunities and disposable income and some
transient nature to the population, that type of activity will
parallel the economy."

However, he added, as this week's airport bust proved, there's plenty
of room for the public to help.

"We would appreciate any assistance that the general public provides
us with information. They can directly contact our drug section or
contact Crime Stoppers."