RCMP BUSY AS FLIGHTS TEMPT DOPE DEALERS

"It Doesn't Seem to Be Slowing the Drug Trade Down Here."

Drugs continue to arrive regularly in Sanikiluaq via scheduled
Kivalliq Air fights from Winnipeg, say police at the local Sanikiluaq
RCMP detachment.

When Kivalliq Air launched its air service April 1 between Sanikiluaq
and Winnipeg, security checks on passenger luggage came to a halt and
the quantity of drugs and alcohol flooding into Sanikiluaq began to increase.

"As many seizures as we're getting, it doesn't seem to be slowing the
drug trade down here," said Const. Paul Robinson.

Police seized 19 plastic-wrapped packets of cocaine, a total of 10
grams, with a street value of $5,000 which were hidden in carry-on
luggage of a passenger returning from Winnipeg Aug. 17. [redacted]
faces charges of possession and possession for purposes of
trafficking in connection with this incident.

Police had previously seized 509 grams of marijuana, wrapped up in
plastic, along with 1.4 grams of crack cocaine packaged in aluminum
foil in the luggage of a passenger returning from Winnipeg July 17.

[redacted] faces charges of possession and possession for purposes of
trafficking in connection with this incident.

Police also found three grams of cocaine, enough for 36 lines,
concealed in the luggage of a passenger returning from Winnipeg on Sept. 15.

When police responded to an impaired driving complaint a week later,
on Sept. 22, they found a passenger in the vehicle with five grams of
marijuana.

[redacted] faces charges of possession in connection with these two incidents.

Robinson said police also found a backpack abandoned on the ground
Sept. 22 with a "large amount of marijuana," about 400 grams, with a
street value of about $22,000.

Robinson said it's not certain if the pot-stuffed backpack is
connected to the drugs.

When the Nunavut court sat in Sanikiluaq last week, proceedings on
all drug-related offences were postponed until Jan. 5, 2009.