Staff Sgt. Dave Grundy says police first had to determine that the person running the gambling ring was making a profit.

"We had to establish that there was a raking operation happening," he said. "The GIS (general investigation section) was looking into this twice before in the last two years -- and just haven't been able to get the evidence to get in there."

Police arrested poker baron Wing Lee May 30. Based on evidence found on hundreds of videotapes seized from his apartment, Mounties charged him with a series of sex-related crimes involving young girls.

He is also charged with running a gaming house and firearms offences.

But Arlene Hache, executive director of the Yellowknife Women's Centre, doesn't buy the RCMP's explanation.

Hache, who also went to police about girls selling their bodies for drugs, said that the police let the gambling continue because it wasn't a priority for them. And ignoring this kind of "mild, unimportant" crime allowed the porn ring to continue.

"I think we all expected some undercover effort (earlier)," she said. "It all goes back to the fact that they choose to turn a blind eye to illegal activity because in their view it was harmless."

"When the RCMP and the people in decision-making positions ignore the lesser evils of some illegal activity, some people who participate become bolder in what they do," Hache said.

She believes that the girls didn't want to go to police because they were getting money for their cocaine habit by selling sex.

"The girls themselves wouldn't come forward for fear," she said.

"In terms of contact with the RCMP, I feel I did my best to let the RCMP know there was this kind of horrific crime in this city."

Hache maintains that the police are always encouraging people to give them tips about crimes that may be happening, but when they do, the complaints aren't taken seriously.