Shipping weed to Nunavut in television sets not a good idea: RCMP

Police in Cape Dorset discovered television sets had been used to ship marijuana to the community. (PHOTO COURTESY OF THE RCMP)

A recent seizure of marijuana in Cape Dorset arrived in the south Baffin community concealed in television sets, Nunavut police have determined.

That’s the second time in five weeks that RCMP investigators have found that traffickers have used televisions sets to ship marijuana to Nunavut.

On March 30 police in Cape Dorset seized more than 346 grams of marijuana at a local residence, which was pre-packaged in one-gram quantities.

In Cape Dorset, where marijuana sells for $60 a gram, the seizure has a street value of more than $20,000, said the RCMP in an April 3 news release.

After further investigation police found the marijuana had been shipped to Cape Dorset concealed in two television sets.

Police have charged two people, Silaqqi Alariaq and Tommy Manning, with possession of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, the release said.

The two will appear before the Nunavut court May 7 in Cape Dorset.

Five weeks earlier, RCMP uncovered more than $26,000 in marijuana in a Iqaluit cargo warehouse.

RCMP investigators carrying out a search warrant at a local cargo company on Feb. 25 discovered a pound of marijuana stashed inside a television set destined for Clyde River.

“This is another example of how drug traffickers attempt to avoid detection from police to get their product to remote Nunavut communities,” RCMP said in the news release.

The RCMP said again April 3 how the sale and use of marijuana has a negative social impact on Nunavummiut, and encouraged anyone with information on the import of illegal drugs and contraband liquor to contact the RCMP’s drug section at (867) 222-8477.