Dane Gibson
Northern News Services

NNSL (July 19/99) - Metal detectors can't detect them, legislation doesn't exist in Canada to track them, and a handful could be worth millions.

As the Northern diamond industry gathers momentum, two RCMP Diamond Project officers, Sgt. Ray Halwas and Cpl. Susan Munn, are bracing for the arrival of organized crime in the NWT.

"An individual stone may be worth a few thousand to millions of dollars. Because of the newness of the Canadian industry and the attraction of this concentrated wealth, organized crime will be taking advantage of the opportunity diamonds represent," said Halwas.

Rough stones containing diamonds look like, well, stones. Halwas says they're easier to smuggle than large amounts of cash or drugs and a few rough stones can generate enormous wealth.

"It's early in the game, but the indicators substantiate what we've been told is happening in other countries. We can certainly say that organized crime is expressing an interest in the Canadian diamond industry," Halwas said.

After four years of working with everyone from global diamond producers to international agencies dedicated to fighting organized crime, Munn and Halwas recognize they have a serious battle ahead.

"What we have learned is organized crime can at most be minimized. It's not something that can be eliminated," Munn said.

She said there are 22 countries producing diamonds. Organized crime surrounds the diamond industry in each of them. The NWT won't be an exception.

To minimize the effects of crime here, Halwas and Munn are trying to secure six full-time officers for the Diamond Unit. They estimate it will cost $700,000 annually to do the job properly.

"It's difficult to take on long-term problems with short-term resources. That's why we need to secure permanent positions for the Diamond Unit," Halwas said.

"Crime surrounding this industry is going to develop as the industry develops and we have to be on-board now to combat the effects of that crime."

Munn said they tried to expand with existing resources within the RCMP, but the money wasn't available. They are now turning to the federal government for help.

"We're putting a submission through to the federal cabinet to get additional resources," Munn said.

"Members of organized crime will be the first people to recognize our ability, or inability, to deal with them. The first thing they look for is weaknesses and they will be looking for weaknesses in the police force."

In the meantime, Munn and Halwas are overseeing 19 projects that focus on preventing criminal activity around the diamond industry.

"We try and look at every situation that could occur and counterbalance that with a preventive solution," Halwas said.

"The diamond industry is a very positive economic force. We're concentrating our efforts on the small criminal element that is attached to the diamond industry. We're just saying that we have to be aware and prepared for organized criminal activity."