DRUG SEARCH LIKELY SET OFF INMATES

A riot by gang members at the Edmonton Remand Centre was sparked by the
discovery of drugs and weapons Wednesday night, the Sun has learned. Sun
sources say members of a gang known as the Crazy Dragons attacked five
fellow inmates after guards uncovered three stashes of drugs in their unit.

"No one knows for sure what made those guys mad but it doesn't take much
imagination to realize that it was something to do with the search," said
Dan MacLennan, president of the union which represents the guards at the
Remand Centre, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees.

"Maybe these guys were just upset about losing their stashes or maybe they
thought someone had ratted them out to boost the value of their own supply."

Four inmates were taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital with injuries
resulting from the riot shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday in a fourth-floor
unit housing gang members.

They were all treated and returned to the remand.

It took the centre's tactical team over an hour to restore order, after
inmates also started several small fires.

Sources say the search had nothing to do with a tipoff and that the unit
was searched after it was realized that a bolt had gone missing from a
recreation area.

Guards feared that the bolt could be fashioned into a homemade weapon. They
also noticed that some of the smoke detectors had been tinkered with and
when they were unscrewed, three packets of white powder and two homemade
shivs were found.

The powder is being analysed but is believed to be cocaine.

Solicitor General spokesman Peter Tadman confirmed drugs had been found but
said further details would have to come from city cops now investigating
the disturbance.