LOCAL DRUG BUST NETS TRAFFICKERS ACROSS PROVINCE

A New Hamburg parking lot served as a meeting place for a drug deal
and then a drug bust as members of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
and local police services cracked a local drug ring last week.

Undercover police officers made an arrangement for a drug deal in the
local parking lot as part of Project Ozzi. After the deal was done on
Aug. 26, police made the arrests and seized the drugs.

Superintendent Steve Hibbard of the Waterloo Regional Police
Investigative Services said New Hamburg was chosen because of it's
location and because often drug dealers will use the town as a meeting
place to make drug transactions.

"New Hamburg is a midway point for Stratford and Kitchener," Hibbard
said, adding that just because it's a small town, doesn't mean it's
always safe. The deal went down in the parking lot at the local McDonald's.

Police seized approximately $365,000 in illicit drugs and narcotics
including cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy and cannabis. The RCMP
reported the 22 kg of cocaine alone is worth $2.4 million on the
streets. Police also seized drug paraphernalia and a significant
quantity of cash and weapons. Those arrested also have a slew of
charges against them, including drug trafficking, conspiracy, money
laundering, kidnapping, extortion, assault and proceeds of crime charges.

Police couldn't elaborate on the kidnapping charge, only saying it
"has to do with how these people do business."

The RCMP worked together with the Waterloo Regional Police Service, as
well as police from Stratford, Hamilton, Toronto and Guelph.

Waterloo Regional Deputy Chief of Police Administration Brian
Cunningham said the groups worked together because all the communities
are having problems with drugs.

"These issues have no boundaries in our communities," Cunningham said.
"Clearly it's something we have to deal with."

Cpl. Michele Paradis with the RCMP said this drug bust is something
that will be felt through the drug trade nationally.

"Dismantling this drug trade is significant," Paradis said.

Police did not arrest any Wilmot or Wellesley residents, but they did
arrest several people from Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph,
Stratford and Goderich. Arrests were also made as far away as
Vancouver, British Columbia.