CHILDREN SELL DRUGS IN NEW WEST, POLICE SAY

New Westminster police warned Monday that drug dealers are recruiting girls
as young as 11 to sell crack cocaine on the city's streets.

In a three-day stretch last weekend, police picked up 10 girls ranging in
age from 11 to 15.

Police say the children were carrying up to 30 plastic-wrapped rocks of
crack in their mouths and selling them for $10 each.

Police believe there is a direct link between the spate of young
traffickers and last week's massive round-up of more than 70 street-level
drug dealers in the Lower Mainland.

New Westminster police media liaison officer Sergeant Daryl Tottenham said
dealers know they will be stopped by police if spotted in downtown New
Westminster, so they are hiring children to do their work.

He said that of those arrested on the weekend, at least one 15-year-old has
been charged with possession of crack cocaine for the purpose of
trafficking, another is under investigation, and the remainder -- including
two 11-year-olds -- have been turned over to their parents or child and
family services.

Under the Young Offenders Act, children under 12 who commit crimes cannot
be charged. They are dealt with by child welfare authorities, rather than
the courts.

It's not the first time New Westminster police have caught children dealing
crack. But Tottenham said they've never busted so many young dealers in
such a short period of time.

``Obviously, there's people out there that are actively recruiting and
going this route, trying to turn these people into their mules to come out
and sell their crack for them,'' Tottenham said.

The girls arrested on the weekend were from a number of municipalities,
including Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver.

Police say there is no evidence the recruiting takes place at schools. More
likely, it occurs at favourite haunts for young people, such as convenience
stores, fast food restaurants and malls.

In some cases, dealers permit the children to keep half the proceeds, which
amounts to about $150 for 30 rocks of crack. They are taught to carry the
crack in their mouths and swallow it if approached by the police. Later,
they can regurgitate the drugs and resume selling, Tottenham said.

``The 11- and 12-year-olds are obviously being told that even if the police
catch you with the drugs, with the cash, you can't be charged so it's a
no-lose proposition.''

He said investigators are following a number of leads in hopes of arresting
the recruiters. Officers will be going into the schools this week to alert
students, teachers and parents to the problem.

Dawn Embree, director of youth outreach services for the non-profit Lower
Mainland Purpose Society, said drug dealers prey on vulnerable girls.

``I think you've got kids who don't feel very good about themselves, and
you've got someone who's paying attention to them, and sometimes that's
accompanied by being [given] things,'' said Embree. ``So they think it's
just that `He likes me.' Until they're kind of sucked in and then it's too
late.''

Debi Hartwell, a school prevention coordinator with B.C.'s alcohol and drug
services, said parents need to know where their kids are and alert them to
the dangers.

Hartwell said parents also have to talk to their children about drugs.

``We need to teach our children how to make good decisions.

``First and foremost, it's really important to know that most people do not
do this,'' she said. ``A small percentage of people use crack cocaine and
an even smaller percentage sell it.''

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson