COCAINE CHARGES ON THE RISE

The Number of Cocaine Busts in Caledon Has More Than Tripled Since Last Year.

"Charges for cocaine possession have increased substantially,"
Inspector Andy Karski, Caledon's OPP detachment commander, told Town
officials during his quarterly police report to council on Tuesday.

Seventeen people were charged for possessing cocaine between January
and June of this year, said Karski, up from just four during the
first six months of 2005. The number of people charged with the more
serious offence of trafficking during this period has also gone up to
eight, from just one last year.

The rise in cocaine charges is part of an overall trend in Caledon.

From January to June 2006, OPP officers laid 158 drug charges in the
Town, compared with 115 in the same period last year.

"Those were primarily possession charges," explained Karski.

"The majority of those charged were 17 to 30 years old,
three-quarters of the suspects (fell into this age range)."

Councillor Garry Moore had asked the inspector during his last
quarterly report to review the number of drug charges in Caledon this
year to see if they were on the rise.

Karski told council the growing number of drug charges is likely a
sign of better enforcement, not increased drug use.

"My view is, we've been targeting street level use of these drugs,"
he said. "We have an officer dedicated to nothing but street level
enforcement. As well, we've brought in the OPP's drug enforcement
section to be involved in the trafficking charges."

Cocaine busts aren't the only thing keeping OPP drug officers busy these days.

"Marijuana grow-ops continue to be a concern," Karski said. "There
was a large bust a few weeks ago on Old Church Road... It was a $1.5
million grow-op."

But, added Karski, officers have apprehended suspects at a few of the
outdoor pot growing operations.

"In the past, with marijuana grow-ops, particularly with outdoor
grow-ops, it's been difficult to ascertain who is responsible," he said.

"This year we're utilizing different policing techniques to arrest
people at the scene."