Lynn Lau
Northern News Services

Fort McPherson (Sep 23/02) - After two years on the lam, a suspected drug dealer was finally arrested at a bush camp near Fort McPherson Wednesday.

Police caught up with the 38-year-old at a cabin near the Peel River ferry, where he was staying with friends. In addition to an outstanding drug charge from 2000, the man faces a new charge of possession for the purposes of trafficking in connection with 110 grams of marijuana and an undisclosed sum of money police found last week.

Sgt. Kurt Lozinski says RCMP were tipped off by a community member as to the man's whereabouts. Police had tried four times in two weeks to capture him before finally succeeding Wednesday.

The man had initially been arrested Oct. 18, 2000, after Fort McPherson RCMP seized about one kilogram of marijuana in a drug bust. When he failed to show up for his court date, police couldn't find him, although they had reports he had moved to Whitehorse. As he was not considered a violent offender, he was a low priority for capture.

The man is to appear in court Oct. 6, to face two counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking, and one count of failure to appear in court.

He was released on $1,000 bail and ordered to report to police once a week until his court date.