UGLY TARP AT NEW POLICE OFFICE HIDES AN EVEN UGLIER
REALITY

Some of you, well, a lot of you actually, will have seen the black
tarp put up along the fence behind the building on Fitzwilliam Street
now housing the Vancouver Island RCMP federal drug section.

The office, behind the bus loop, has been operational for about six
weeks now. Months ago, I put in a request to the Vancouver Island RCMP
media liaison, Cpl. Darren Lagan, to talk to someone about this new
office. Since I haven't heard from Lagan I am interpreting the answer
as a no.

Aside from the fact that they could have used something a little more
visually friendly than black tarp, I think I understand what that's
all about.

The federal drug office, now relocated from Victoria to Nanaimo, has a
very narrow focus and one very significant challenge: To investigate
organized crime and others who are involved in trafficking large
amounts of drugs.

They are not called "organized" for nothing. In this space some time
ago I noted how journalists and organized crime used information
gathered off police scanners for their own purposes.

The tarp reflects the fact that organized crime groups know how to
collect -- and use -- intelligence as they pursue bringing drugs into
Canada by the tonne.

While the tarp may not help, it will at least make it a little more
difficult for these criminals to make lists of makes, models and
licence numbers of vehicles associated with RCMP investigators and
staff.

The concerns are twofold. The most obvious is that police would prefer
that criminals did not know what they were driving while doing
stakeouts and collecting their own intelligence.

And it's also known that the Hells Angels keep files on individual
police officers. Police raids on HA clubhouses have found names,
addresses and personal details of police officers.

So the tarp that rankles me every time I walk or drive by also
protects individuals from being seen and identified as they go from
their vehicle into the office.

Again, I must remind myself, a reasonable precaution given the
circumstances.

We're not talking about undercover cops here. Neither you nor I will
see them unless we watch them testifying in court. Let's just say from
what I have gleaned that the work done in the new office is
wide-ranging, at times intensive and at times grindingly boring.

Some may argue that this is Canada, that all this secrecy is not in
line with our democratic values; neither is importing tonnes of
heroin, cocaine or hashish as financed by local marijuana growing operations.

As much as we have become a global village in positive ways, it is
also true in negative ways. Anyone who thinks that the drug war
violence in Mexico will remain confined to that country better give
their head a shake.

Global drug cartels interest will protect their drug interests
anywhere in the world and will make use of ruthless violence to do
it.

From the poppy crops of Afghanistan to the U.S.-Mexican border and the
streets of our cities there are billions of dollars in play among
diverse groups. There are no courts to settle disputes, just brutal
violence.

An ugly black tarp seems to reveal one ugly message.