DRUG-STING ARRESTS TOTAL 32 AS OF WEEKEND

Two more arrests have been made in connection to the massive
crackdown on the city's drug trade, bringing the total number of
arrested since mid-March to 32.

The latest in a series of arrests that began with the dramatic March
14 takedown of leaders of the Independent Soldiers street gang mark
the beginning of the end to a lengthy undercover operation that began
five months ago.

Following the arrests of Jayme Russell and Thomas Crawford outside
the Rendezvous Hotel, police said they intended to arrest 35 other
suspects -- mostly street-level dealers -- as part of the
investigation, two of which were believed to be "associates" of the
gang members.

Russell and Crawford are believed to be the No. 1 and No. 2 men of
the gang's Kamloops chapter.

Kamloops RCMP Cpl. Scott Wilson said Monday that intelligence
indicated the remaining three suspects had packed their bags and left the city.

"The heat is on," he said.

"They've left town."

As part of the round-up, police executed a search warrant on a known
crack-shack in the 800-block of Nicolani Drive and charged a man with
possession for the purposes of trafficking. Other arrests during this
time have included a man for the possession of a prohibited weapon (a
.22-calibre Beretta pistol) and another man for possession for the
purposes of trafficking. Mounties have also been able to recover a
stolen Kabota ATV (valued at $10,000) and a stolen Bobcat trailer
(valued at $25,000).

Wilson said the arrests have contributed to a overall drop in crime
during the last several weeks, especially auto crime.

He said theft from and theft of autos has decreased by up to 70 per cent.

"Those numbers are significantly down," he said, noting police will
maintain a close watch on the accused who have been released from
custody to ensure they are complying by their conditions.

Russell and Crawford are scheduled to appear in provincial court
April 4. They have been charged with trafficking in a controlled
substance and possession of a controlled substance.

Crawford faces an additional charge of manufacturing or transferring a firearm.

Meanwhile, Wilson said investigators are still waiting for a report
from RCMP bomb experts to determine the nature of the explosives
seized at Russell's residence following his arrest.

Wilson said he did not know what kind of explosives had been removed,
but speculated they could have been used for intimidation purposes or
to blow safes.

A similar cache of explosives was found by Kelowna RCMP last week
when they arrested members from the Kelowna chapter of the
Independent Soldiers.

Police have said there isn't a link between the Kamloops arrests and
the Kelowna arrests.