LOCAL TAXI INDUSTRY STUNG

Two North Bay cab drivers are among three people charged with drug-related
offences after a North Bay police officer purchased marijuana while taking
taxi trips, deputy police chief Paul Cook said Thursday.

Const. Christi Lafrance went undercover during a two-week sting operation
called Project Fareplay and took 28 trips in cabs owned by U-Need-A-Cab,
Union Taxi and 5-0 Cab.

Twenty-six of the trips will result in charges, Cook said.

"To date, 17 drivers will be charged with a total of 55 offences under the
North Bay Taxi Bylaw, and some will be charged for five offences under the
Controlled Drugs and Substance Act," Cook said.

The drug charges relate to four separate purchases of marijuana from
on-duty taxi drivers, he added.

Cook broke the news during a North Bay Police Services Board meeting
dealing with revisions to the taxi bylaw.

"Needless to say, our police service is disappointed with the obvious
disregard for the North Bay Taxi Bylaw being displayed by the persons
employed within the North Bay taxi industry," Cook said.

"We took 28 trips and of those there were only two that didn't result in a
bylaw offence. So needless to say, the numbers speak for themselves and
show there's been a pretty flagrant disregard for the existing bylaw."

Police have suspended four taxi licences, with more suspensions expected.

The bylaw offences relate to the condition of the cabs, both mechanical and
the interior, Lafrance rode in, as well as meter offences. They will be
dealt with under the Provincial Offences Act, Cook said, and will result in
tickets and fines being issued.

"The process isn't to suspend every taxi driver in the City of North Bay,"
Cook said. "It's to make it clear to the taxi industry that they haven't
been abiding by the bylaws and it's not be tolerated and we're going to
take this very seriously."

Sgt. Mike Tarini, in charge of the police service's traffic section, said
he had been become aware that violations of the city's taxi bylaw were
becoming more frequent.

As well, he received information relating to drug and liquor offences.

"So I went to the chief and deputy chief to talk to them about setting up
this operation," Tarini told The Nugget.

Const. Lafrance joined the North Bay police at about the same time, after
10 years as a Toronto police officer.

"She rode taxis in the city of North Bay, we provided cover officers for
her and she went out there attempting to purchase narcotics, attempting to
purchase liquor after hours and make observations relating to
non-compliance of the taxi bylaw," Cook said.

"Not one cab company was targeted. It was the industry in general."

During three of the trips, Lafrance purchased small quantities of marijuana
from one gram to one-quarter ounce.

The two drivers charged are employed by U-Need-A-Cab, although police said
drivers from the other taxi companies are involved.

John Strang, U-Need-A-Cab's general manager, said he would comment on the
case today.

Joanne Eigenberger, owner of 5-0 Cab, was "speechless, shocked and
flabbergasted" and said she hadn't heard the news until informed by The Nugget.

Robert Craven, president of Union Taxi, could not be reached for comment.

Tarini said most North Bay cab drivers are shocked by the results of
Project Fareplay.

"The public should know this sort of thing doesn't happen with the majority
of cab drivers," Tarini said.

Roy Bovay, 41, of North Bay, who drives for U-Need-A-Cab has been charged
with three counts of trafficking, one count of possession for the purpose
of trafficking, one count of possession of a controlled substance and one
count of property obtained by crime.

Louise Bovay, 43, of North Bay, who also drives for U-Need-A-Cab, has been
charged with one count of possession for the purpose of trafficking, and
one count of possession of a controlled substance.

Gary Bovay, 39, of North Bay, who is not a cab driver, has been charged
with one count of trafficking.