MOUNTIES ARREST 55 IN DRUG SWEEP

SASKATOON -- Police arrested 55 people in 17 communities in
Saskatchewan on Friday in a massive drug sweep.

"This was a large and detailed investigation that occurred over a
four-month period involving street-level and mid-level drug
transactions," said an RCMP news release.

Ten search warrants were executed and more than 172 charges were laid
against those arrested. Charges included trafficking in a controlled
substance, possession of proceeds of crime, conspiracy to traffic in a
controlled substance, unsafe storage of a firearm and possession of a
prohibited firearm.

The joint effort "to combat the drug trafficking issue in
Saskatchewan" involved Regina integrated drug unit, Saskatoon
integrated drug unit, the Southern Enforcement Response Team and
several RCMP detachments. Officers arrested people in Saskatoon, Gull
Lake, Shaunavon, Swift Current, Kincaid, Humboldt, Prince Albert,
Punnichy, Carlyle, Broadview, Canora and Kenosee Lake, as well as
White Bear, Keeseekoose, Kahkewistahaw, Gordon and Cote First Nations.

The charges relate to the trafficking of methamphetamine, cannabis
marijuana, cocaine, psylocybin, ecstasy, hash oil, morphine and
dilaudid. During Friday's raids, police seized three kilograms of
cocaine and more than 2,000 tablets of ecstasy as well as about $7,000
and prohibited firearms.

In a separate investigation, Melville RCMP and the Regina Integrated
Drug Unit arrested three men from Melville in the early morning on
Friday. Police found marijuana, cash and drug paraphernalia. The men,
in their 20s, were charged with possession of a controlled substance
for the purpose of trafficking, trafficking in a controlled substance
and possession of proceeds of crime.

Melville RCMP also raided a marijuana grow operation on
Friday.

"The search yielded a quantity of marijuana plants in various stages
of growth, dried marijuana, paraphernalia, cash and a quantity of
contraband cigarettes, all of which were seized," said a news release
issued by Melville RCMP.

A 54-year-old woman and a 59-year-old man were charged with marijuana
production, possessing unstamped tobacco products and unlawfully
acquiring tobacco. The man was also charged with breach of probation.