Canada high on ecstasy

Canada is becoming a major source for ecstasy, a national report on organized crime released yesterday says.

But drug investigators in the Ottawa region are more concerned about other narcotics being passed off as the mind-altering pills.

Det. Sgt. Paul Henry of the OPP's drug enforcement section in Ottawa said detectives continue to see speed pressed in pill form sold as ecstasy.

"It's certainly a more addictive substance and more harmful than ecstasy," Henry said, calling the trend "troubling" because users don't know what they're taking.

The annual crime report, produced by Criminal Intelligence Service Canada, says ecstasy production is concentrated mainly in Ontario and B.C., with most exports going to the U.S.

ILLEGAL FIREARMS

The drug trade is also fuelling illegal firearms.

The report says the illegal drug market drives gun demand because of adisagreements between criminal organizations. The major sources of illegal firearms are smuggling and domestic thefts, the report says.

Canada has 950 known organized crime groups, an increase of nearly 20% over the previous year, the report says. The report says about 80% of organized crime groups in Canada are involved in the illegal drug market, mostly in street-level trafficking.

All levels of police will soon be on extra alert for outdoor marijuana grow ops as harvest season nears. The report says most organized crime groups peddle marijuana more than any other substance.

Henry said local detectives have also seen some large cocaine seizures lately.