UPDATED: Police arrest six alleged drug traffickers in Castlegar

By Castlegar Source

Six Castlegar residents appeared in court today facing charges of trafficking cocaine, but all six were put over to a new court date, according to RCMP Cpl. Darryl Orr.

While he couldn't offer much information about the investigation, Orr told The Source that it went on for four months, from June to September. 

"We brought in undercover operators - they come from all over B.C.," Orr said. "They were the ones who worked the magic and purchased drugs from people we (Castlegar cops) were already well aware of (sic)."

He said the operators don't randomly try to buy drugs from whomever might be selling - they're brought in after police have already gathered plenty of information about a suspect (s).

"Especially in a small town, you really have to have your ducks in a row, and all your intellligence together," he said. "You have to be more creative, I think, and the operators really have to think on their feet. Local dealers are reluctant to sell to strangers."

He said today's suspects are hardly the only recent drug busts in the area as a result of undercover work - and the trafficking community is feeling the pressure.

"The feedback from our operators is that the people we're targeting are afraid, and far more cautious - and that's a good thing," he said. "We're never going to stop this activity altogether. That's the goal, but realistically, there are always going to be people who do this.

"What we want to do is shrink the number of people who do and prevent these people from expanding their clientelle, to young people, for example," he said. "If we can't wipe (the behaviour) out completely, we can focus it; force it to stay within that group of people who are just never going to stop no matter what."

He also said that every time constant police pressure forces dealers to do business differently, to change the status quo at all, it makes the dealers more likely to make a mistake and get caught.

"If you're dealing drugs here, you're right to be afraid," he said. "We're not letting up."

The original story is as follows:

A four-month investigation, dubbed Project E-NARTHEX, undertaken by the Castlegar Crime Reduction Unit has resulted in six Castlegar residents and drug traffickers being arrested and charged with a number of offences under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

Inspector Nick Romanchuk, the officer in charge of Kootenay Boundary Regional Detachment says that, “We have had numerous discussions with the mayor and councillors in the City of Castlegar, as well as other community members, and the message we have been given loud and clear is that drug

trafficking is not to be tolerated.

 

"We have focussed our resources towards those individuals involved in the illicit drug trade and will continue to do so. The work done by the members of the Crime Reduction Unit in this investigation is nothing short of phenomenal.

 

"The feedback that we are receiving through our investigations is that we are being very effective.”

 

The following individuals have been charged:

 

• Larry Michael Fedor, 45 - Trafficking in Cocaine;
• Ashley Patrick Koftinoff, 36 -Trafficking in Cocaine;
• Travis Randall Macdermid, 22  - Trafficking in Cocaine;
• Kenneth Gavin Kurenoff, 19  - Trafficking in Cocaine;
• Andrew Lee Cancela, 27 - Trafficking in Cocaine.

 

In addition, a warrant for the arrest of a 20-year-old female resident of Fruitvale has been issued for the offence of trafficking in MDMA (ecstacy).

 

Several of the accused individuals are making appearances in Castlegar Provincial Court today.