CRACKDOWN WAS A TRAFFIC-STOPPER

Hinton RCMP discover there's a lot of dope on the road

Staff Sgt. Ron Fehr has never seen so much illegal
dope.

Suitcases and garbage bags full of sticky, green marijuana, kilos of
cocaine, taped up in blocks, and slabs of black hashish stamped by the
manufacturer and wrapped in plastic. The shelves in the Hinton RCMP
exhibit room are stuffed full with drugs and paraphernalia.

``In 12 years, we would have seized total what we got in the past five
days. It's the quantities now that are increasing.''

Hinton RCMP and the Edson RCMP traffic services unit have spent the
past year busting drug runners who pick up contraband in British
Columbia and then take the Yellowhead home to Edmonton, Fort McMurray,
Yellowknife, Regina and beyond.

They perch a half-dozen cruisers at the Jasper Park gates, pull over
every car heading east or west, lean into the driver's side window and
find out just where everyone's going and where they're coming from.

Conversations lead to inconsistencies, odours lead to suspicions,
observations lead to searches and the RCMP start laying charges.

Last week, they hit the jackpot: about 23 kg of marijuana and five kg
of cocaine worth an estimated $820,000. In total, seven people were
charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and 26 charged
with simple possession.

Fehr, who has been at the Hinton detachment for 12 years, proudly
showed off last week's haul and several other tables full of illegal
drugs seized since Jan. 1, 1999, when RCMP started focusing on the
flow of drugs over the B.C. boundary.

Hinton Const. Mark Kay has become the unofficial chief in this war on
drugs. He has gained a reputation among fellow RCMP and members of the
public alike for vigilance, instinct and skill.

``I know I've missed some. But my nose is getting better.''

Kay prefers vehicle Checkstops to domestic fights, child abuse and
other disheartening duties.

``Once you start doing it, you really get hooked on it, the adrenaline
rush. Through years of experience and training, something just tells
you something is wrong. Through persistence, you dig deeper and
bang-o, you find something. It's very rewarding.''

Police say the Checkstop is not just to combat drug smuggling. They
see it as a chance to check for seat belts and vehicle safety and to
ferret out impaired drivers and outstanding warrants. Big drug
seizures are just the gravy.

Hundreds of cars are pulled over during a typical Checkstop. On
Saturday, about a dozen RCMP worked the park gate from 1 p.m. to 8:30
p.m. Travellers didn't seem miffed with the delay. Most drivers
answered a few questions and were on their way.

``There shouldn't be any reason to mind unless you've got something to
hide,'' said one driver.

Edson Cpl. Brian Topham said he knows some drivers are just taking a
baggie of pot to the mountains for snowboarding. ``But it's still
against the law,'' he said.