RCMP TARGET GROW-OPS

An unusually high number of drug busts in Prince George in the first week
of April is not the result of a stepped-up enforcement campaign, said
Prince George RCMP spokesperson Constable Mike Caira.

Five busts in seven days is a lot more than the average of about one per
week, he said.

But there is no connection between the Prince George busts and the
Vancouver Police Department's newly-unveiled campaign against drugs on the
downtown eastside. Police in that city put 60 extra officers onto the
streets this week in an effort to "eliminate" the drug problem.

"Certainly we all have the same goal, which is to get as many drugs off the
street as possible," said Caira. "But this was just a case of realigning
resources and letting [officers] get back to doing their jobs."

A number of officers have been dedicated to two high-profile missing person
cases in the last year - Nicole Hoar and Joseph Andrews. With those
investigations winding down, police have returned to their regular duties,
including policing the drug scene in the city. The latest busts involved
everything from marijuana grow operations to rock cocaine and took place
all over the city and neighbouring rural communities.

On March 29, police searched a house on McIntyre Cr. They seized rock
cocaine and cash and took six people into custody. Three of those face
charges of possession of drugs and possession for the purposes of
trafficking. The other three were released.

April 1 saw two separate grow-op busts, one on Trader Cr. in the city and
the other in Willow River. Three people are being charged with cultivation
and possession in connection with the Trader Cr. bust, at which 36 pot
plants and various grow equipment were seized. One man faces the same
charges after an 80-plant grow-op was located at a house in Willow River.

The following day, police raided a house on Romanin Cr. where they found a
pound of cocaine and an ounce of heroin. One man stands charged with
possession and possession for the purposes of trafficking.

In the latest bust, two men face charges in connection with a night-time
raid April 4 on a property on Old Summit Lake Rd. where they found 398
plants in a shed at the rear of the property.