CRIME-FIGHTING AGENCY RECEIVES $3.8-MILLION BOOST

The increased funding is designed to 'target organized crime groups at
their highest level.'

Organized crime gangs are getting smarter, richer and much more coordinated
as they expand their criminal empires, says Dave Douglas, chief officer of
the Organized Crime Agency of B.C.

"Ten years ago, these groups (bikers, Asian gangs and other criminal
organizations) used to be isolated groups," Douglas told a news conference
Friday. "Now they're all coming together. They'll sit around a boardroom
and strategize how they'll organize criminal activity. And these groups
are transnational in scope."

Douglas made the comment as Attorney-General Andrew Petter announced the
provincial government will provide $3.8 milion in new funding for the agency.

"Staying ahead of organized rime is an essential element of public safety,"
Petter said. "This government's commitment was demonstrated last year when
we established the agency, and we are increasing that commitment by
providing new provincial funding to target organized crime groups at their
highest level."

Douglas said organized crime deals in drugs, credit card fraud, alien
smuggling, prostitution, murder and other serious offences.

He said people shouldn't assume that marijuana-growing operations - which
are now mostly the domain of organized crime, particularly Vietnamese gangs
- - aren't as serious as other crimes, because the proceeds from growing
operations help gangs fund other criminal activities.

"It's a huge infrastructure. If they're warring in the streets and
shooting at each other, it's a threat to everyone."

Petter said that once the courts realize the growing operations are linked
to more serious crime, much stiffer sentences will be handed down by judges.

"Marijuana grow-ops are not isolated activities," he added. "If it's being
used to trade for harder drugs, then it's a much bigger criminal activity.
If the proof is made, then the courts will respond appropriately."

Douglas said the highlights of the agency's year include:

- - Establishing partnerships with other police organizations on several
projects which improves results and eliminates duplication of effort.

- -Using experts from other police departments to co-ordinate specialized
operations.

- -Establishing its own proceeds-of-crime unit, which is key to attacking
organized crime groups from their financial base.

- -Raiding more than 30 marijuana-grow operations, a psilocybin factory,
illegal gambling and credit card counterfeiting operations.

He said the agency's priorities this year include firearms trafficking,
proceeds of crime and Internet pornography.