Police seize alcohol at winter road checkstops in Canada’s Northwest Territories
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) across Canada’s Northwest Territories have made a number of recent drug and alcohol busts in communities with alcohol restrictions.
Detachments in the communities Norman Wells, Deline, Fort Good Hope and Whati seized vodka and marijuana from vehicles at stops along the winter roads between April 4 and 12.
In one night on April 11, Fort Good Hope RCMP seized 86 bottles of vodka, 28 bottles of vodka coolers, 75 cans of beer and one bottle of wine on the winter road from Norman Wells.
Police say they’ve being laying about the same number of charges as past years when it comes to illegal possession of liquor in restricted communities.
RCMP Sgt. Barry Ledoux says more people from the communities are calling the RCMP when they hear of people bringing in alcohol illegally. He says bootlegging has a big impact on communities.
“It’s not just the person who’s consuming, it’s those that are buying and those that can’t afford to buy it and they’re committing other crimes to try and support their habit,” he said.
“And when these people are intoxicated that’s when our crime statistics go up.”
Ledoux says people in the communities should continue to reach out to RCMP when they hear of alcohol being brought in illegally.
Related Links:
Canada: Booze restrictions to stay in three Nunavut hamlets, CBC News
Finland: Finland imposes further restrictions on alcohol advertising, Yle News
United States: Alaska village mulls reversing alcohol ban, Alaska Dispatch
