Drug smuggling on BC Ferries inevitable: Criminologist
Posted January 8, 2014 3:58 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – What can be done to prevent drug smuggling near ferry terminals?
That’s what’s being asked following a drug bust on the Victoria side of the Tsawwassen – Swartz Bay route on Friday.
SFU Criminologist Dr. Rob Gordon feels that criminal activity is inevitable. “There’s going to be a trade route between the Island and the Lower Mainland because stuff is being produced or delivered on the Island or sent to the Lower Mainland for distribution.”
“It’s a very lucrative industry. There is a huge amount of stock being moved backwards and forwards. They [police] are far better off focusing their attention on the collection and delivery points and that is basically what the police tend to do,” Gordon adds.
On Friday BC’s gang squad arrested a 40-year-old man near the Swartz Bay ferry terminal after cocaine and heroin was found in his car.
In November, police received information that the suspect was involved in southern Vancouver Island’s drug trade. Further information indicated that he had ties to the Red Scorpions gang in the Lower Mainland.
On January 3, the man was identified travelling and meeting with associates of the Red Scorpions in Mission. He was arrested as he got off the ferry.
He was held in custody overnight and then released on a promise to appear.
Darrin Guenette with BC Ferries says they work closely with police to prevent criminal activity. “They will reach out to us 99 per cent of the time if they feel there is an issue at a terminal. Terminals are very busy, much like an airport, with a lot of people passing through.”
He adds there are also several times when extra security measures are added, or drug sniffing dogs are brought in.
