Police in a small northern Saskatchewan community say they’ve stopped a significant quantity of crack cocaine from reaching local streets, arresting a 19-year-old man from Saskatoon in the process.
Wollaston Lake RCMP announced Wednesday that officers seized approximately 59 grams of crack cocaine during an operation on April 27.
According to police, investigators had received information that an individual was planning to bring illicit drugs into the remote community, which is accessible primarily by air or seasonal ice roads and has no year-round road access.
When the suspect arrived in Wollaston Lake, officers located and approached the individual. Police say the man provided a false name and was carrying documentation bearing that same fake identity.
He was arrested, and a search of his belongings turned up roughly 59 grams of crack cocaine.
Richard Dreaver, 19, of Saskatoon, now faces five criminal charges including possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, obstructing a peace officer, identity fraud, and two counts of failing to comply with a probation order.
Sgt. Robert Gatenby of the Wollaston Lake RCMP emphasized that while 59 grams might not make headlines in a major urban centre, the impact in a small, isolated community is substantial.
“Wollaston Lake RCMP are committed to keeping our community safe. Part of this is making sure dangerous items – like illicit drugs – don’t enter our detachment area,” says Sgt. Robert Gatenby from the Wollaston Lake RCMP. “A seizure of 59 grams of crack cocaine may not be a big seizure in a large city, but it means significant harm reduction in a small, remote community like ours. We’ll continue proactively working to keep drugs out.”
