You & Your Police

COASTAL WATCH PROGRAM ENLISTS LOCALS TO CUT FLOW OF DRUGS

A large quantity of drugs enters our country, and especially our
province, by boat each year. Drug smuggling is big business, often
involving many people and a lot of money and equipment. Most of the
time large-scale operations can easily be detected by those familiar
with normal marine activities.

The RCMP's Coastal Watch Program, in the fight against drug
importation, wants to enlist the eyes and ears of people in coastal
communities. The program's goal is two-fold: to teach people what to
look for, and to help them effectively transmit any information to the police.

If you are a recreational or professional boater, fuel dock
attendant, or vessel broker, or if you live or work near the water,
you can play an important role in the Coastal Watch Program. By
reporting suspicious or illegal activities, you can help cut the flow
of illicit drugs to our youth and to the rest of the community.

How do the drugs get into Canada? About 10 per cent of the cocaine
and 50 per cent of the cannabis imported into Canada arrives by
water. Every year, many tons of marijuana are seized from vessels
attempting to smuggle it into the country.

Traditionally, it has been the role of the police to fight the war
against drugs. To be successful, however, we need your help. You can
reduce the supply of illicit drugs in your area by being aware of
what is going on in your community and reporting any suspicious activities.

What should you look for?

Drug importers have access to unlimited resources. The variety of
equipment they use is limited only by their imagination. Pay
particular attention to vessels that:

* Operate outside normal fishing/shipping lanes.

* Operate outside normal fishing times.

* Run at night without lights.

* Travel to and from a drug source country

* Do not carry the right equipment for the work they are supposed to be doing

* Appear to be beyond the owner's means

* Have a large or concealed cargo capacity

* Off-load cargo in unusual or isolated areas.

These and other observations may lead to the detection of a mother
ship or a drug smuggling operation.

There may be legitimate reasons for the activities you observe, but
your judgment and the circumstances at the time will help you decide
whether you should report what you have seen.

What should you do?

If you see anything suspicious or learn about any illegal activity
related to drug importation by water, please call your nearest RCMP
detachment. Tell them that you want to report some observations in
connection with the Coastal/Airport Watch Program.

Give any information you have on:

* Vessel/aircraft (description, size, colour, flag, location, etc.)

* Person or persons

* Any licence number, visible markings, registration details

* Nature of activity

* Times and dates of occurrence.

Any information you give will be handled confidentially. Take notes
if possible. Do not rule out any information because you feel it may
not be important. Information that may appear meaningless to you may
be invaluable to us. Information that cannot be used right now will
be kept and will remain available for the future.

If you would like to receive more information about the Coastal Watch
Program please give us a call. Members of the district are available
to do presentations about this program to any group requesting it.