Fewer alcohol seizures means higher crimes rates in Nunavik: police

KRPF deputy chief Pierre Bettez, left, with chief Michel Martin at KRG regional council meetings in Kuujjuaq Nov. 30. (PHOTO BY SARAH ROGERS)

KUUJJUAQ—Nunavik police say they’ve seized less bootlegged alcohol this year than over the last five years in the region.

And that appears to have translated into more crime; the Kativik Regional Police Force has seen an 18 per cent increase in alcohol-related files so far in 2016, up from 2015.

“The number of violent crimes has increased as alcohol seizures have decreased over the same period,” KRPF chief Michel Martin told Kativik Regional Government councillors in Kuujjuaq Nov. 30.

“The KRPF is receiving fewer tips from the public than last year.”

Between Jan.1 and Oct. 31 of this year, police have responded to 2,308 alcohol-related calls from the region’s population of about 11,000. Of these calls, 161 involved sexual assaults and 519 were for impaired driving, KRPF statistics reveal.

Nunavik has seen an increase in crime overall this year, said the KRPF’s deputy chief Pierre Bettez.

Between 2010-2015, the region enjoyed a lower period of crime rates, something Bettez credits to the KRPF’s large number of alcohol seizures.

During that time period, two communities launched the local sale of beer and wine from their local co-op stores, though the KRPF says the retail sale of low-percentage alcohol hasn’t had a negative impact on crime in those communities.

Beer and wine tend not to be the issue, Bettez said; most impaired drivers the KRPF stop are intoxicated from hard liquor.

What’s different this year is that police are receiving fewer tips from the public about bootlegging in their communities, he said.

“That’s why we should aim our work at bootlegging and trying to solve that problem in the region. That made a big difference,” he said. “We’re asking the support of the public to help us fight bootlegging.”

By the end of October 2015, KRPF had seized $391,870 in alcohol that year. At the same time this year, police have seized $288,480 worth.

The amount is still significant, but it doesn’t represent the amount of bootlegged alcohol police believe is circulating in Nunavik communities.

While the amount of seized alcohol is down this year, the KRPF said the amount of seized narcotics is way up: from a value of $367,418 last year to $942,256 so far in 2016.

The vast majority of those seizures are marijuana and hash; pills and cocaine account for a very small amount.

Nunavik police warned councillors of major recruitment efforts by southern traffickers to find mules in the region to bring product back into Nunavik.

Bettez warned them to be aware of youth travelling south with empty suitcases.

Nunavimmiut can call 1-800-711-1800 to report the illegal sale of alcohol or drugs in the region. Calls can be made anonymously in English, Inuktitut or French.