TRI-CITIES POLICE SAY THEY AREN'T WORRIED ABOUT VANCOUVER DRUG CRACKDOWN
'SPILLOVER'

While adjacent municipalities are bracing for an increase in drug activity
in their communities, the two Tri-Cities police agencies are not gearing up
for additional activity in response to a Vancouver Police crackdown on drug
users in the Downtown Eastside.

Burnaby, New Westminster and Surrey police watched with interest as
Vancouver's special enforcement team began its three-month crackdown Monday.

Coquitlam RCMP Staff Sgt. Jim Tysowski said without SkyTrain running
through the Tri-Cities, there is not as big a concern about transient drug
users moving into the area.

"We're aware of it and we'll certainly keep an eye on developments and if
it becomes a problem, we'll have to do something about it," Tysowski said.

He said the RCMP deals more with grow operations in Coquitlam and Port
Coquitlam, as opposed to long-term drug users and "hard drugs."

As of Thursday, Vancouver Police had arrested about 70 people on drug
charges while others have simply left the area.

So far, the suburbs haven't seen a spin-off effect, but based on evidence
from previous crackdowns in municipalities along the SkyTrain line, the
likelihood of an increase in drug activity is real.

"I really don't see it happening here," said Port Moody Police Const. Brian
Soles. "Certainly if we had SkyTrain here and other issues we'd be a lot
more concerned about it."

He said Port Moody also lacks a downtown core, which is an attraction to
dealers and users. "There's no anonymity here," Soles said. "They'd have
trouble selling their wares without attracting attention."

In 1998, New Westminster police got an extra five cops to combat an influx
of Honduran crack dealers. The controversial clean-up worked, only to push
the dealers to Burnaby and Vancouver.

Burnaby RCMP then implemented its own crackdown in the Metrotown area,
where roughly 200 refugee claimants from the Tegucigalpa area of Honduras
were living in three apartments in the 6600-block of Dow Avenue.

"That was a bad spot, but that was a long time ago," said Burnaby RCMP
Const. Phil Reid, noting many of the dealers were simply dispersed to
Vancouver. "We're not sure what's going to happen now (with the Vancouver
crackdown), but we're definitely trying to prepare."

Surrey has its own drug problems. Mounties and the city have combined
forces to crack down on dealers in Whalley, said Surrey RCMP Const. Tim
Shields. Shields said he's aware of the ping-pong effect when one police
department conducts a crackdown, but said Mounties are prepared for any
influx from Vancouver.

Insp. Kash Heed, in charge of Vancouver's drug unit, doesn't believe the
suburban police forces have to worry about a spillover. Heed said with the
glut of pawn shops, health services, cheap hotels and food in the Downtown
Eastside, it's difficult for a dealer or an addict to leave, even with a
beefed-up police presence.

"A lot of people think they're going to drive it out of the City of
Vancouver. Well, I wouldn't hold my breath there," he said. "These dealers
will go where the demand for their product is, and right now the demand is
in Vancouver."

Project Torpedo, a 13-day operation conducted by the drug unit in March and
April, determined that 47 per cent of 162 suspected dealers live in the
Downtown Eastside, 44 per cent live elsewhere in Vancouver and only nine
per cent live outside the city.

- - with files from Mike Howell, The Vancouver Courier.