IT'S NEVER ENOUGH

Drug Leaves Users Wanting More And More

It's a sad, alarming fact that crack cocaine affects every single
Calgarian. From the obvious addicts, to the victims of the crimes
crackheads commit to buy their dope, to rising health-care costs and
the overtaxed resources needed to deal with the problem; we're all on
the hook and involved in some way with the little off-white rock that
controls so many lives.

In this first installment of a six-part series, Sun crime reporter
Mike D'Amour begins a hard, unflinching look at the crisis plaguing
our city. And don't miss CFCN News, starting tomorrow, as reporter
Bill Marks also takes a long, hard look at Crack in Calgary.

It's been called the king of the street drugs, but a more apt name for
crack cocaine would be "more," addicts say.

"This s--- is a disease, an epidemic," said Edward, a 25-year-old,
10-year addict who didn't want his real name used.

"Crack should be called 'more' because it's always: 'We need more. Can
we get some more? Let's get some more.'"

That's about as succinct a definition of crack there
is.

Addicts say once you're hooked on the rock, every thought is about
getting more of the drug.

Addicts have been known to go several days without food or sleep while
they're using. Nothing but nothing matters to them except the rocks
they buy in mostly $10 and $20 pieces.

Concerns about their poor health, failing relationships, basic housing
or even the welfare of their own children are put aside in the quest
for the next hit from a pipe loaded with crack.

This leads to an obvious problem for the users -- where do unemployed
addicts get the money to support their habits?

"A lot of people with drug dependencies get involved in criminal
activities," said Insp. Dan Jahrig of downtown's Dist. 1 police office.

"They'll do B&Es, roll jobs (muggings) or anything to get the money to
purchase drugs."

And the addicts don't confine themselves to penny-ante
crimes.

"A lot of the people we arrest (for bank robberies) admit they did the
robbery to get money for drugs," said Det. Rick Tuza of the robbery
unit.

"When you have some of these guys spending $1,000 a day on crack,
well, that money has to come from somewhere."

Once the addict has some dough, the dealers make it easy for them to
spend the money. If the crack head can't make it to some street
corners where the drug is dealt openly, a quick call to the cell phone
of any one of dozens of Calgary's so-called "dial-a-dopers" -- dealers
who drive to their clients -- will have rocks in their hands in just a
few minutes.

Any cop who's been on the street for a couple of years will tell you
the problem is getting worse with more and more people every day
becoming addicted to the insidious drug.

The burgeoning drug problem comes as no surprise to law enforcement
officers like Staff Sgt. Birnie Smith of the Calgary RCMP drug
section. "Crack is the drug of choice that causes us the most concern
and I can't see it going away anytime soon," he said.

Police do make frequent busts and have seized much of the cocaine
destined for a Calgary clientele.

Still, they know they're barely making a dent.

"The lion's share of it -- hundreds of kilos a year -- is coming into
Calgary through organized crime groups and the biggest ones for the
last few years have been Vietnamese groups," he said.

Most of the coke coming into the city is from the West Coast, mainly
from Vancouver, where a steady supply of illegal drugs and other
contraband makes its way east from that port city. It arrives in
Calgary in its powder form and is then "cooked" or transformed into
crack before it hits the streets.

While cops know the wheres and hows of the drug trade and many of the
players, Smith said it's "frustrating" trying to get those responsible
behind bars. "We've got the know-how, but believe me it's very tough
sometimes because of the laws we have to deal with."

While cops have to work within the boundaries set down in Canada's
Criminal Code, the crooks play by their own rules.

"The dealers are constantly recruiting and they'll often recruit
kids," said Dist. 1 Sgt. Doug Kraan during a recent ride-along.

"Our hands are tied," added Dist. 1 police Const. Ryan Jepson, a
former undercover cop in the drug unit.

"You'll make the arrest and bust them for the drugs and see the same
people back in the same place a week later."