Tuktoyaktuk (Nov 27/06) - A rather large quantity of marijuana was seized by Tuktoyaktuk police on Nov. 12. The RCMP say a 21-year-old man was found carrying 360 grams of the substance.

A 21-year-old, from Tuktoyaktuk, was arriving at the community's airport on a flight from Inuvik and was arrested by police after taking a cab.

Sergeant Charlie Gauthier, of the Tuktoyaktuk RCMP, said police received a tip about a man carrying marijuana and decided to act.

He said a warrant was obtained for searching the suspect's luggage, and marijuana was found in six equal plastic bags.

The man now faces charges of possession with the intention of trafficking and is scheduled to appear Jan. 31, 2007, at Tuktoyaktuk court.

While it is not known exactly how much the marijuana is worth, one knowledgeable resident said marijuana is more expensive in Tuktoyaktuk than in southern cities.

If a realistic street price would be $30 or $40 a gram, which is common in Tuktoyaktuk, the stash police obtained might be worth more than $10,000.

Sergeant Gauthier said police suspect the man intended to traffic the marijuana because of information gathered in the investigation.

He also said 360 grams - which is about 80 per cent of a pound - would likely be too much for one person to smoke alone. "There's the quantity, and also information obtained in the investigation," he said, when asked about the source of the trafficking charge.

Asked if the arrest would curb marijuana use in Tuktoyaktuk, Gauthier responded "it made a dent" in the supply.

However, he said "there are other sources," for the recreational drug, which he said is quite common in the community.