Nunavik police make big contraband bust
KRPF considering a dedicated unit to fight bootlegging
Jean-Pierre Larose, chief of the Kativik Regional Police Force, shares with regional councillors on Feb. 25 the outcome of several searches for contraband through the KRPF’s Project Plutonium. (Photo by Elaine Anselmi)
KUUJJUAQ—The Kativik Regional Police Force says it has seized a big shipment of contraband bound for Nunavik, with the help of the Sûreté du Québec.
On Feb. 18, through the Plutonium Project, KRPF and SQ officers carried out 12 searches, largely in the Montreal area, confiscating drugs, alcohol and items used in their sale.
In total, police seized 180 bottles of vodka, 2,500 grams of cannabis, 569 grams of cocaine and 775 units of methamphetamine. The searches also resulted in the seizure of $118,562 in cash, 33 credit cards, three stun guns and four vehicles.
Then, on Feb. 21 to 23, 10 more searches were conducted by the KRPF in Nunavik. Among Salluit, Kangiqsujuaq, Akulivik, Quaqtaq and Puvirnituq, police seized more than $6,500, 24 bottles of vodka and nine credit cards, along with cellphones, cannabis and hash.
Police chief Jean-Pierre Larose said more searches will take place in the following days.
The KRPF says the operation has snared five individuals who it estimates control up to 70 per cent of contraband in Nunavik. But the KRPF has yet to announce any charges or arrests as a result of the operation.
The Plutonium Project has been underway for nine months. It has involved the work of 82 police officers and civilians, as well as the Sûreté du Québec, other southern police forces and Canada Post.
The KRPF says its five suspects began their operations in 2016 and have since purchased nearly 40,000 bottles of alcohol, to be sold in Nunavik for up to 12 times the purchase price.
In 2019, the value of seized alcohol alone in Nunavik was $824,000, according to the KRPF.
Over the past three years, the KRPF says it has seized nearly $2 million of contraband alcohol. Last year, Larose said, 84 per cent of assaults in the region and 74 per cent of overall incidents in Nunavik were related to alcohol.
“Considering the extent of contraband in the region and its disastrous social impact in the communities, the KRPF is now seriously contemplating to create a special unit to fight against contraband alcohol and drugs trade in the region,” Larose told Kativik Regional Government councillors on Tuesday, Feb. 25.
The development of this new unit will be discussed over the coming weeks, Larose said, including its format and objectives. He said the unit would have access to more resources and flexibility to focus on the issue of contraband in the region.
Larose said the fight to curb contraband in Nunavik could use better cooperation from some southern partners.
“What I’ve realized in doing this big Plutonium operation, with Canada Post and SAQ, is they are sometimes closing their eyes,” Larose said.
For example, he said, when you walk into an SAQ in Dorval, there is a large display of Smirnoff Vodka, right at the entrance.
“You don’t see that anywhere else. Everyone knows that this alcohol goes to Nunavik,” Larose said. “This bothers us. We don’t have the cooperation we should. We hope with this operation someone will open their eyes and help us.”
The other parties involved in contraband sales—even though unwillingly—do know what’s going on, said Bruno Hamel, an intelligence analyst with KRPF who led the Plutonium Project.
“They know what’s going on about the alcohol coming in, same for First Air, Canadian North, Air Inuit—all the alcohol is shipped. We’d like to have a better collaboration to intercept the alcohol coming in,” Hamel said.
Even over the last week, he said, there is still alcohol coming in to Nunavik.
“We are going to keep helping and fighting to have as few bootleggers as possible and have people ordering alcohol legally,” Hamel said.
Why don,t the RCMP do this here in Nunavut.
It’s even easier to make your own alcohals all you need is yeast and suger you really don’t need those commercial grade vodca when you can make your own moonshine in the privacy of your camp
At least KRPF is aware because we feel so hopeless knowing about all the alcohol and drugs coming in. Please keep the investigations going constantly.
There are many more money hungry southerners that are not being caught. Using vulnerable Inuit who crave attention and money and drugs as carriers to the North.
Bootleggers! You have to stop trying to make fast money because it is destroying families; the poor children who are hungry, scared and have nowhere to go sometimes and the elderly that are being abused for their money.
Don’t get all “southern” here. Of all my exposure to the illicit trades in the north, which is enough, I have rarely come across a white or southern bootlegger or drug dealer. The guys to go see for a bottle are almost alway Inuit. White guys have zero market credibility and usually get knocked out of the trade by locals. You’re literally incorrect the direction your trying to spin this.
I don’t know what to think really??♀️I’m trying not hard to be pessimistic BUT I believe that’s a lot of manpower for such a tiny confiscation!?! I’m not sure what KRPF’s goals are if they think that menial bust was a BIG?one!! I’m sure more than that amount drugs & alcohol passes through the local post office each week!!
That’s not enough man power yet. How can you say it’s enough when we are devastated by the injuries and death in Nunavik. Go police go.
If they confiscate just one Mickey, it is a big chance that life or limb will be saved. If you’re like me, you don’t serve alcohol to many people either. That will probably save a life and limb too. For some of us, maybe many of us, we are still sick and tired of idiots who get to have alcohol legal or not, and then act like wild animals from fighting and shouting and even shooting.
Need names. Please post the names of the people busted . Just like putting mentos in Diet Coke .
We hear about cocaine, hash, cannabis, and alcohol. But meth? Do we really want this stuff of nightmares here? Cocaine is bad enough. Making junkies of our loved ones. Restrictions and limitations only lead to the need of a black market on alcohol. We all know this. History only repeats itself. Cannabis is legal. Use the sqdc! Can have 150 grams at home. That’s almost half a years worth if you smoke a gram a day. 230$ an oz! Better than 40$/50$ a gram! Sujualuulirqisii? Don’t bring meth and cocaine to nunavik. We have enough to deal with!
That is very a good choice!
Being alcohol consummer regularly, buying worth 15$ of smirnoff for 100-120$ is just crazy! How dare bootleggers and their dealer’s rip us off so much! When will Nunavik leaders stand up for this many years problem? By start having to have alcohol selling liscence that could benefit the community? Not the bootlegger,. We buy and don’t care about the prize because that is the only way to get drunk or have at least a glass. We see these bootlegger’s buying vehicles that they wouldn’t even afford if they working easy money job. They have new SKIDOOS, HONDAS’ TRUCKS,if i could name a bit, they don’t care about the prize bc the money is coming fast enough to pay off their debts one shot.
I wish at least increase our alcohol limit orders,
When are we getting bars and liquor stores in our communities? All these alcohol-related laws and restrictions are costing us hundreds of thousands of dollars a year just to do what other normal Canadians do and that is to have a drink here and there.
We don’t have access legally to the alcohol because of the savage behaviour. Even thou bootleg is there, it’s still all in the mess of not handling alcohol well. That’s why we don’t have access to it like the rest of the country. Its a catch 22, but look how disparate people are in illegally doing it, paying 100 dollars for a micky, desperate. And shows it all. Just get the bootleggers and keep it outlawed in Nunavik. Either way people can’t handle it.
Since beer and wine sales started at Kuujjuaq and Puvirnituq the death toll as you don’t need a degree to figure out, is incredible. The injured that have been flown to Montreal trauma centres is unspeakable. Look around these communities alone and picture the wheel chair ramp on houses for young people. It’s out of this world. There’s more spinal and brain injuries than anything in the history of civilization.
Microchips Inside hands or ”Dog tags” with microchips that give info to everyone, Is this person allowd to order? Is this person healthy enough to drink? Is this person broke to pay for his/her drinks in a bar? Where did she end up after heavy drinking at the bar? How is his/her heart condition? ALL can be answered with a microchip inserted in all of us, Nevermind religion, listen to science and live by it.
We don’t need micro chip. We need common sense. Alcohol doesn’t do well in Inuit communities. There. Solution. No more alcohol in Inuit communities. No more vote. And keep going after the bootleggers.
It’s time to open SAQ and SQDC like in big village like Kuujjuaq,POV n Salluit that’s how bootleg and drug deal might stop!
You wouldn’t have to be suggesting to open stores for alcohol and cannabis, if the history would be different than is. People can’t handle it. go crazy. That’s what’s keeping you from buying at a store near you. Come on. Too bad thou, you must keep paying hundreds of dollars! Cause somebody nuts with a drink, or two. Bootleggers one, you zero.
Bootleggers illegal. You know, all the bootlegger is doing is cashing in on the inability of people’s good behaviour when they drink. People cant handle a drink, so it’s illegal, so funny Canada hey. Bootleggers are feeding off the idiots that can’t handle the stuff, so we all suffer, in that we will not get to buy it legally in our communities. Bootlegging is manifested by idiots therefore.
Why is alcohol illegal in a Nunavik? Come on , your answers please.
Alcohol is not illegal in Nunavik.
Trafficking is illegal. Selling without license.
Communities also make bylaws with conditions and penalties.
For instance Puvirnituq propabable has no quantity limits.
Not a good answer. Alcohol, ok is not illegal in Nunavik, but why is it hard to get? Why is it not sold in the communities? Why do communities have to make by- laws with conditions and penalties? I’m putting that question in there to get you and anyone else, to get in touch with the reality of the first question, which is really asking simply, why alcohol is not available in Nunavik, legally like everywhere else in the country, at least in most places.? Your turn.
Why is it guarded with such tight security, and got to show receipt, and yes the guard actually takes your receipt. At least put the receipt in a box to draw for a try again prize. You know, it’s all an indication that the alcohol is not tolerated very well. I mean, we are so politically correct, to not to mention and admit that it’s not tolerated well. How many sacrifices of life, until we get used to it. I mean , if you look at it, Nunavik and other places like it, are sacrificing people in the learning curve towards being able to drink sensible. One day, not sure when, but one day when people can drink alcohol without its incredible problems we see today in Nunavik, yes we’ll be able to say, our ancestors died so that we can now drink sensible. This is not wellness.
Most people die for their country or something, or die while saving a life. In Nunavik that could happen too, but most people dying in Nunavik are succumbing to the drink. Dying for a drink or two.
Can’t wait to go south again for a week even. That’s what most think in Nunavik. It’s like going to heaven for many, not me per say. But just to be around people with a nice agenda. Go into a store, buy some beer, no guards dressed in ball cap and baggy pants. Go to the mall, not seeing too many drunks, if any. Crazy driving , but knowledge drivers. Hearing traffic as people go to work before daybreak, not waiting for 9 o clock or thereafter to start. It’s like the real world in noise. I’m more for the land myself, but can see the true sense of life in the south as people really live, not just exist. And don’t tell me you don’t like it, nice restaurant and you can buy and drink like a king and queen.
The bootlegger phenomenal is worth a true study. My hypothesis is that bootlegger is healthier in Inuit communities than a legal process. That’s so sad to even think about I know, but I think it has merit. As long as there’s bootlegging, in lieu of a legal access, alcohol remains hard and inconvenient to get. That’s becomes a good thing, hard and inconvenient. As long as it’s legal, people , can’t handle it, therefore more of a reason to go just a little bit more crazy with having it, because it’s legal. I’m all for keeping it out of the community legally and illegally, but, bootlegger makes the dough, but keeps it unacceptable, and unfortunately better. It’s crazy, but the more it’s legalized, the more injury and death. Just keep it illegal either way, and put our resin to stamping out the bootlegger, that’s it that’s all. No alcohol in Inuit communities, amen.
Given time one would imagine & hope that more people up here would learn to drink responsibly. The authorities at regional government and its police in response are doing well to consider how to find means to reduce the harm coming from the immature & irresponsile partying/boozing of too many northern residents. We have a generation now who has known no other life because of parents and families who live this terrible life. It is now an intergenerational fact that result in communities that are suffering under high incarceration rates, FASD and related harmful effects.
What era will learning take place, or can it really be learnt? You’re right, it’s a terrible life. Must be more terrible for children. We in Nunavik are living in the land of the living dead. Many communities are turned into a living mess. Millions of dollars, on booze, grown men and women paying hundreds of dollars for a little bottle, yet a plea for help with housing and food security. Who is going to take that seriously? People not paying rent, at least their names are on public documents like canlii. Not buying food, alcohol instead. Kids out all night long, no school importance. Talking about self governance. What self governing body? A governor over the mess, to take the work off an over worked government that’s doing its best in Quebec City and Ottawa. Yes, a self governance over the mess. That’s about it. Then you get talk and fear of the latest virus. Talk like there’s no other issues to discuss. Alcohol will kill more people in Nunavik in the years to come , then any virus could do in a hundred years. What a crime , not just a mess.
Thank you, “What era”. I believe what you say is true and to the point. Take care
I don’t think an alcoholic can learn to drink responsibly.
Perhaps thinking an alcoholic can learn to drink responsibly is the biggest barrier to dealing with alcoholism.
I think the second biggest barrier to dealing with alcoholism is the belief that emotional trauma during childhood, or adulthood, can cause alcoholism. That’d be like believing emotional trauma could make you allergic to peanuts.
Our bodies don’t work that way. I believe the reaction to alcohol is an inherited reaction. That’d explain why the vast majority of people who are really emotionally traumatized – by war, crimes, serious accidents and disease – don’t become alcoholic or any other addict
Pay up bootlegger. Pay taxes on your profit. I’m hearing something about taxation making assessments on the assets of suspected bootleggers and drug dealers. Go into the community and take inventory of what’s parked by certain peoples houses. Compare it to the income these people are making and asking how these people can afford the toys. Taxation then figures out the amounts, and there bootlegger made to pay.