FAKE POLICE GEAR FOUND IN DRUG HOUSES

Five Accused Of Targeting Other Dealers

Equipped with body armour marked"police,"a siren, flashing lights and
handcuffs, a group of Calgarians with alleged organized crime
connections in British Columbia is believed to have used
law-enforcement-like equipment to rob drug dealers.

"Someone being in possession of this police paraphernalia had intended
to use it for illegitimate purposes," Acting Staff Sgt. John Orr said
on Tuesday.

"At this time, we don't believe it was taken from a police force;we
believe it was made by these individuals. Investigators in this
specific case believe that these individuals were using it in an
effort to steal drugs and money from other people involved in the drug
trade."

The arrest of five people --four of them known to Calgary police for
their alleged drug-dealing backgrounds --came after officers pulled
over a vehicle as part of the investigation.

The Feb. 11 traffic stop yielded two kilograms of ketamine and $10,000
in cash.

According to the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, ketamine,
or Special-K as it's known on the street, is an anesthetic drug used
mostly by veterinarians on animals and can obtained in liquid,
capsule, or white powder form.

The traffic stop led police to three northwest houses, where they say
they found the law-enforcement paraphernalia.

They seized cocaine, loaded guns, more cash and a forgery lab that
included credit cards, debit skimmers and ID makers.

The searches also turned up brass knuckles, machetes, ammunition and
two stolen handguns that were loaded.

"Organized crime groups in Calgary will work with other organized
crime groups across the country . . . this is business for them,"said
Staff Sgt. Gord Eiriksson.

Police allege the group was importing drugs from B.C.'s Lower
Mainland.

"Organized crime groups are more sophisticated(than street gangs), are
intelligent, sophisticated, criminal-based," said Eiriksson.

Between the five of them, they face 34 drug and weapon charges.