14 BUSTED IN DRUG SWEEP

Newmarket Plaza Shop Owners Say Drug Deals Take Place During the Day

York Regional Police conducted a major drug bust Thursday centred
around a Newmarket plaza shop owners say has long been under siege by
dope dealers.

Close to $200,000 worth of drugs, including 3,700 ecstasy pills, 10
kilograms of marijuana, four kilograms of hashish, anabolic steroids
and a small amount of cocaine were seized in raids on 15 homes,
businesses and vehicles in Aurora, Newmarket and Holland Landing.

Fourteen area residents, ranging from 18 to 30 years old, were
arrested on various drug-related charges, including an employee of a
convenience store at a strip mall beside Huron Heights Secondary
School where police say drug deals took place in the parking lot in
broad daylight.

"A lot of these drugs were being sold directly to high school
students," said drugs and vice Det. Don Cardwell.

"It was being done right out in the open so, obviously, the fear of
being detected, they thought, was low."

Police would not divulge if any drug transactions took place inside
the convenience store.

Throughout the course of the six-month investigation leading to the
large scale takedown, officers also witnessed drug deals in several
other parking lots around Newmarket and Aurora.

Shop owners in the plaza on Davis and Huron Heights drives, say their
corner is overrun with teenagers, drugs and related problems.

"There's always kids hanging around using drugs and smoking
cigarettes," said Alia Nawaz, owner of the Dollar Plus Gift and
Clothing store in the plaza.

"They have been harassing us, threatening us. Many times I have been
threatened. We have told the police. We've filed 18 different police
reports and four times our windows have been smashed. This area is
bad. I would leave but I can't sell. Right now I can't get half of
what I paid for the store."

A constant flow of teenagers from the school regularly infiltrate the
plaza throughout the day.

Students at the plaza Friday said drugs are regularly available from
numerous dealers hanging around any time of day or night.

Fresh Mango restaurant owner Henry Duong said he has witnessed fights
in the parking lot, had cans and rocks thrown at his windows and has
been forced to throw out a number of young patrons rolling joints in
his washroom and at tables in the restaurant.

"It's hard to do business here. People don't want to come because they
are constantly standing outside smoking and swearing," he said.

"It's dangerous."