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Wednesday, October 30 • 2013
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Actors reunited for new play See Page 20
Vol. 6 • Issue 35
Tough weekend for midget Leafs See Page 18
Undercover operation
15 arrested in drug sting
JUST IN From Benjamin Moore
GREG NESTEROFF Nelson Star Reporter
More than just a farmers store
The Nelson Police Department has arrested 15 alleged drug dealers following an undercover project intended to “determine the scope and extent” of drug use and trafficking in the community. Police say during the operation, officers from the BC municipal undercover program bought or seized marijuana, cocaine, ketamine, GHB, ecstacy, morphine, and methamphetamines. Three vehicles were also seized through the civil forfeiture process. Since the operation ended, police have shared the information they gathered with other agencies for further investigation, chief Wayne Holland said. Other suspects have also been identified. Some of those arrested have already pled guilty and are serving jail time. However, Holland declined to release their names or give specifics of their sentences for fear of prejudicing other cases still before the courts. Once all have concluded, police plan to issue a summary of the outcomes. Holland wouldn’t confirm whether the suspects had previ-
ous convictions, but said all were local residents. While they didn’t necessarily work together, they would have been familiar with one another, he added. “Often one trafficker, if asked for something they don’t have, would steer a person to another trafficker. They may work in isolation and not necessarily act as an organized group, but definitely know each other.” He said the undercover operation followed up on suspicions that drug sales in Nelson are on the rise and the substances in question are more potent and dangerous, including synthetic or designer drugs. “Police always gauge drug sales and transactions in a community. That’s normal,” he said. “The difference is that this time we saw far more designer drugs of a greater variety. You just don’t know what these are comprised of. We’re coming across people in medical distress because of them. It’s not a pretty sight.” Holland asked citizens, especially parents and teachers, to be on the lookout for the drugs in question and warn their children and students about them.
“Police always gauge drug sales and transactions in a community.”
524 Railway St Nelson (250) 352-5375
Wayne Holland
413 Hall Street 250.352.3573
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BAMBOOMTOWN.COM
Haunted Halloween
Ginny McClelland has transformed her Observatory Street property into the creepiest place in town for Halloween. There’s a cemetery in the yard and a haunted maze through the garage. She’s inviting everyone to come by for a fright on October 31. See story on Page 5. Sam Van Schie photo
Continued on Page 3
702 Baker St 250.354.4622 www.gericks.com Salomon, Full Tilt, Scott
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