Mike W. Bryant
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 02/05) - The RCMP's newest drug squad made a major bust at the airport Sunday, arresting three persons, and seizing 197.5 grams of crack cocaine.

A gram of crack cocaine has a street value of between $80 to $120.

The arrests came after three men arrived on a scheduled First Air flight from Edmonton. They were arrested as they attempted to leave the terminal building.

Edmonton resident Dion Adekat, 26, has been charged with possession of a narcotic for the purpose of trafficking. He was scheduled to make a court appearance late yesterday afternoon. The two other men, also from Edmonton, were not charged and have been released from custody.

Sunday's arrest was the first bust made by the NWT's newest drug squad, dubbed the Narcotic Street Team. "They did assist with another one prior to this," said RCMP Sgt. Darcy Fleury. "After (Project) Gunship there was another arrest that resulted in the seizure of a small amount of marijuana."

The team was created earlier this month after Project Gunship, one of the largest drug busts in the NWT's history.

The four-officer unit's task is to fight street-level drug trafficking in Yellowknife and other NWT communities.

Fleury said the unit made Sunday's arrest after receiving a tip while conducting patrols in Yellowknife last week.

"They are interested in street-level dealers and that sort of thing, that's what their function is," said Fleury.

"But in this case they received information that led them to this arrest."

Fleury said police don't believe the latest crack seizure is related to those charged in Project Gunship. Eleven Yellowknife residents were charged after that bust, Oct. 13, which netted seven kg of cocaine, two kg of marijuana, and the seizure of $100,000 in cash.