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HAY RIVER
After a frenzied start to the new year, Hay River police have no intention of taking their collective foot off the gas pedal when it comes to clamping down on crime in the area.

Three separate drug busts, a significant cash seizure and two arrests in connection with a home invasion had already been carried out by Jan. 14.

Hay River RCMP Sgt. Chad Orr said co-operation with residents and various local organizations is key in ensuring officers can best target the drug trade.

"We have such a good relationship with the community that (RCMP) members know what's going on in town," he said.

"It really helps us to be effective in targeting these drug traffickers."

The most recent efforts include a drug bust on Jan. 14, when RCMP members responded to a threat complaint. Members investigating the situation found a quantity of cocaine on the suspects -two men from Edmonton, and one from Hay River.

The investigation led to a search warrant being executed on a Hay River hotel room where three ounces of cocaine, several cellphones and a quantity of

cash were seized by police.

All three men were charged with possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking.

In a separate incident in the early hours of Jan. 9, police learned of a home invasion that had taken place and through investigation, arrested two Hay River men.

Both face charges of break and enter with intent to commit armed robbery and appeared in court on Jan. 15.

"Each and every arrest, seizure and investigation we conduct sends a message and makes a difference in the community," Orr said.

"Every time (drug) busts take place, it's a big hit to drug dealers. They come here and prey on vulnerable people."

He said that although it's important for the RCMP to stop crime and drug trafficking on a national level, it's also been identified as a priority in Hay River, and for the detachment.

"We're all targeting these guys, we don't want them in our communities," he said.

"Our members have been working very hard lately, as a lot of these investigations are lengthy and require hours of their time to wrap up. The search warrants they conduct are in-depth and scrutinized."

Orr said the RCMP's recent success can be attributed to a variety of techniques police use to apprehend suspects. Sometimes they target individuals who have been disrupting the community, and sometimes they just happen to come across illegal substances or weapons by way of a routine investigation.

He added that it's also a sign of the community's desire to rid itself

of illegal activities.

"This has been going on for years in Hay River," he said.

"What's happening now is that we have leadership in the community - from KFN, the town, the Metis - who are sending a strong message that this is not appropriate here."

"We'll keep going. We'll keep hammering these guys until they figure out this isn't a good place to do business."

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