ORGANIZED CRIME IS ON THE RISE IN B.C.

Conference: Gangs Have Turned Province into Major Drug Hub

The number of organized crime gangs in B.C. has more than doubled
since 2003, but police have only enough resources to investigate less
than one-third of organized crime activity, the B.C. Premier's
Conference on Crime was told on Friday.

"We do face more serious criminal-justice issues than we did 18 months
ago," said RCMP assistant-commissioner Gary Bass. "We have increased
levels of crime and disturbing new crime trends."

Bass told the congress -- chaired by Gordon Campbell and attended by
invited members of the justice and law-enforcement systems -- that the
number of "sophisticated" criminal organizations has jumped to 108
from 52 in the past two years, fueled by marijuana production.

Investigating such gangs is expensive and time-consuming, he
said.

"Only 30 per cent of known organized crime groups can be targeted
every year," said Bass.

In the past 10 years, B.C. has become a major hub for the shipment of
drugs -- marijuana, heroin and the ingredients for crystal meth, he
said.

"The volumes of marijuana at B.C. ports and borders dwarfs potential
local use," he said. "B.C. has become the major source of marijuana
for the U.S. market and a major source of meth for Japan."

Bass and other experts said marijuana production is all about getting
cocaine, by trading it for cocaine from the U.S.

Attorney-General Wally Oppal told the congress that the quality of
life in Vancouver has deteriorated in the past 10 years because of
rising property crime.

He noted that 85 per cent of crimes were property crimes and were
committed by less than 20 per cent of criminals. He also said B.C.
wants to look at alternative justice systems.