LONDON COPS MAKE MAJOR COCAINE BUST

A London Man Faces Numerous Charges after $57,000 Worth of Crack and
Several Weapons Were Found.

London police have seized the third-largest stash of crack cocaine ever in
the Forest City.

Other than the crack, which has a street value of $57,000, police found
three handguns, a bulletproof vest, a flip knife and $6,000 in cash.

"Not only is it important to get these drugs off the street, but we also
got three handguns off the street," police spokesperson Const. Ryan Holland
said yesterday.

"This is a significant dent in London's drug trade."

Monday afternoon, members of London's street drug unit executed a search
warrant at an apartment on Gardenwood Drive in the west end.

A short time later they arrested and charged a 26-year-old London man with
14 offences, including possession of a controlled substance and possession
of a prohibited weapon.

Inside the apartment, police found small bags with about an ounce of crack
in each. Crack is sold, police said, for about $200 a gram.

While it isn't surprising to find guns associated with such a large amount
of crack, this is the second time police have also found a bulletproof
vest. The one seized this week has a pocket that can also hold a metal
plate directly in front of the heart.

"You're seeing more of the urban centre drug trade filtering down into
London," Holland said.

"(Vests) are becoming a tool of the trade, just as the cellphone, pager and
firearms have become a tool of the trade."

One of the seized guns was a Glock .40-calibre handgun and the two others
were tiny .22-calibre handguns, easily concealed in the palm of a hand.
While the Glock is a restricted weapon, the two small handguns are prohibited.

So far this year, London police have seized $150,000 worth of crack.

While it's not as prevalent as marijuana, it is the hard drug of choice for
many London addicts.

"It's more prevalent than heroin," Holland said.

"It's hard to get a seizure of crack because it moves so quickly . . . You
get addicted after one time using it."

The largest seizure, from a Commissioners Road East home last December, was
worth $97,000.

Anthony Smith of Gardenwood Drive faces 14 charges including possession of
a controlled substance for trafficking, possession of a restricted firearm
and possession of the proceeds of crime.