COPS NAB DEALERS IN 'RED ZONES'

The general manager of the Kamloops Central Business Improvement
Association (KCBIA) said she is pleased with the RCMP's latest
crackdown on drug dealers and believes it will improve the general
atmosphere of the city's downtown core.

Speaking on the heels of a Wednesday announcement by Kamloops police
detailing the results of a two-week undercover operation targeting
street-dealers, Gay Pooler said the operation is the kind needed to
keep downtown drug dealers feeling uncomfortable and "in jail where
they belong."

"They've been pretty visible," she said of the dealers. "It was time
something was done about it and the police have been really good about
dealing with our complaints."

A total of 42 trafficking charges are expected to be laid against 38
people (25 male, 12 female) resulting from the sting -- six of which
were known prostitutes.

The sweep, known as Project E-Passarine, was focused on the North and
South Shore red zones with undercover officers buying crack cocaine
from dealers, most of whom were "well-known" to police.

The deals involved quantities ranging from one to 3.5
grams.

Nineteen of the dealers identified were working in the downtown red
zone area while the remaining 11 sold drugs to undercovers in the
North Shore red zone.

One of the women who sold crack to an officer had previously been
arrested as part of last month's roust on sex trade workers.

Inspector Yves Lacasse said Wednesday morning police had already begun
making arrests, with at least two of the 38 already in custody and
several more expected to be behind bars by the end of the day. He said
he didn't think it would take long for all of the dealers to be picked
up and expected the arrests to be low-risk in nature.

"We know who we want to get right now and we are going to be out
there," he said, adding no weapons had been seized during the first
two arrests.

The second part of an enforcement mandate created this spring that
identified drugs and prostitution as the main focus of the detachment
for the summer, Lacasse said Project E-Passarine was an extension of
last month's two-day shake-down on the sex trade that saw police
arrest and charge 17 of the city's prostitutes working within the two
red zones.

Contrary to popular belief, he said the red zones were not designed
exclusively for the sex trade. Instead, they were created for all
crime in the area.

He said there was extensive consultation between the RCMP and various
community groups prior to creating the two red zones, which
effectively work as no-go areas for repeat offenders. A red zone
designation has to come through the courts.

"This is going to hopefully clear up these areas and hopefully restore
. . these neighbourhoods," said Lacasse of the operation.

"I think you are going to start feeling the impact of this within the
next couple of days."

Peter Mutrie, general manager of the North Shore Business Improvement
Association, called the sting a positive move by Kamloops police.

"I'm very pleased with the RCMP's efforts here," he said, adding many
North Shore merchants reported a marked improvement in the area's
atmosphere following the crackdown on prostitutes.

"I think it is positive -- it is positive for our whole city and it
means that Kamloops is wide awake."