DOPE PROBLEMS AFFECT SUBURBS TOO

Abbotsford police say dial-a-dope operations aren't just hitting Vancouver.

"Every community is going to tell you the same thing," said Const.
Casey Vinet. "In Abbotsford, mobile drug trafficking has been a
problem for years and remains the favourite method of delivery."

Last year, Abbotsford police drug investigators knew of about 100
phone numbers used to provide drugs within in the city.

Apparently undercover officers have no trouble finding mobile drug networks.

"Recently, one of our undercover guys was waiting to make a buy from
a dealer when another guy showed up looking for someone else to sell
drugs to," Vinet said. "Within minutes, our guy was approached twice
from dial-a-dopers."

Taking down dial-a-dope operations is getting more dangerous for
officers, as two busts this month in Abbotsford proved.

On Aug. 4, police shut down a dial-a-dope distribution centre in the
33500 block of Rainbow Avenue and found a cache of weapons along with
a large quantity of drugs.

Four handguns, two machine guns, two silencers, two rifles, Tasers,
ammunition and body armour were seized in the raid.

Abbotsford police also found four more firearms Aug. 11 when
executing a search warrant on two homes suspected of being in
connection with drug trafficking.

"We're approaching guys carrying weapons more and more," said Vinet.
"Drugs and guns go hand-in-hand it seems and it's getting
increasingly dangerous."