After a month of undercover work in the city's west end, Toronto police have arrested 96 people and have laid 238 charges related to drug offences.
Five neighbourhoods were targeted in the operation called Project I.C.E. (Infiltrate Crack Entrepreneurs.)
Police focused their activity in 14 Division, in the intersections of:
- Bloor Street West and Ossington Avenue
- Bloor Street West and Lansdowne Avenue
- Queen Street West and Lansdowne Avenue
- Queen Street West and Bathurst Street
- King Street West and Dufferin Street
The drug sweep recovered a significant amount of drugs totalling more than $30,000. Cocaine, crack, marijuana, ecstacy, LSD were among the drugs that were seized. Police also seized $10,798 in cash which authorities say are the proceeds of drug crime.
As many as 26 officers from 14 Division were involved in the investigation as were teams of officers from the Toronto Drug Squad.
Officers also worked closely with residents of the neighbourhoods to try identifying the problem areas in each community.
At a news conference Monday, police announced they would introduce a maintenance program where additional uniformed officers will patrol the problem areas to discourage drug activity. Officers will also be conducting compliance checks on the suspects that have been released on bail to make sure they are following the conditions of their release.
Working with residents
Residents living in these neighbourhoods will also be asked to fill out a survey in the following weeks to measure the impact of the project on the community.
"We encourage the community to continue to provide information about drug-dealing and any other crimes in their communities," said Det. Sgt. Ed Roseto in a prepared statement. "Together, we can and will improve the quality of life in these communities."
Donna Cowan, a member of the Bloor Dupont Improvement Group, told reporters at Monday's news conference the drug bust is just the beginning of the solution.
She said people who are doing drugs need social assistance and treatment in order to be rehabilitated.
Cowan said she lives near a laneway that is constantly being occupied by sex trade workers and drug dealers.
"I've had to circle around, waiting for them to get away so that I can get into my garage," she said. "This is a quality of life issue and a security issue.
Police said the problem is deeply affecting businesses in the neighbourhood as often times, customers are afraid to come in because of drug dealers on the street.
"We're getting calls the drug dealers outnumber customers three-to-one in front of their doorways," Roseto said at the news conference.
One business owner who also lives in the area told CTV Toronto he won't let his kids go out and play in the neighbourhood. He said his family constantly feels threatened.
"We are a neighbourhood under siege," he said. "They are everywhere, 24/7."
There are several schools in the area and police said students have run into the drug dealers on occasion.
"They have seen things that kids shouldn't see," Cowan said.
Charged
Police say the 96 people that were arrested had a cumulative total of 1,600 convictions.
They also said 45 of those people were free on bail or were on probation when police charged them in connection to Project I.C.E.
Only one-third of those arrested actually live in the neighbourhoods that were targeted in the operation, investigators said.
The oldest person charged is 60 years old. Four young offenders were charged, the youngest being 16 years of age.
One officer with 14 Division said there has been a lot of gentrification in the neighbourhoods which has forced drug dealers out of their communities and into other problem spots in the cities.
With a report from CTV Toronto's Janice Golding
