Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Oct 07/05) - Seven Fort Simpson residents were convicted of bootlegging last week and fined a total of $6,500.

Police hope the substantial penalties will stem the flow of illegal alcohol in the village of 1,200.

"Illegal sales will not be tolerated and as police, we will be vigilant," RCMP Cpl. Al Shepherd said the morning after the convictions.

All seven - Gary Scarfe, Peter Cazon, Sarah Michel, Therese Michel, Dorothy Michel, George Nahanni and Rufus Deneyoua - pleaded guilty to bootlegging charges during consecutive appearances in Fort Simpson Justice of the Peace Court Sept. 28.

Their arrests came earlier in the month following a three week "mini police operation" that included witness accounts and the seizure of three bottles of hard liquor, said Shepherd.

The investigation turned up other suspects who could face charges in the future, he said.

The bootleggers, who police believe were acting separately, bought the alcohol at the Fort Simpson liquor store. They sold it after hours, usually late at night or early in the morning to fuel "benders," Shepherd said. The bootlegged booze often brought in twice its retail price.

Six of the bootleggers were fined $1,000 each while Deneyoua has to pay $500.

The convictions were important, Shepherd said, because second offences come with a minimum fine $5,000.

"If they do it again, they are looking at big fines," he said.