The arrest of Mistissini resident Ricky Petawabano, 35, on drug charges is being described as the largest coke bust ever in the Abitibi region.
After a two-year investigation, Mistissini police executed a search warrant at Petawabano’s home on August 7 and seized 100 grams of cocaine, over 100 grams of marijuana and more than $ 13,000 in cash, according to a police press release. The street value of the narcotics was estimated at $35,000, police said.
Petawabano was charged on August 27 with possession of cocaine and marijuana for the purpose of trafficking.
Mistissini police investigator Johnny Trapper, who handled the case, said the arrest was the largest cocaine arrest ever in the region, which includes towns like Val d’Or (with a population of around 35,000). (Mistissini’s population is about 3,000.)
Petawabano is free on bail, with one of his bail conditions that he can’t harass the police, said Trapper. “He more or less harassed the police constables and their families so we perceived that as a problem. We will not tolerate anything like that.” He is to appear in court on Oct. 15 in Mistissini.
The drug bust rocked the community and was a hot topic at a recent Mistissini Band Assembly. One of the accused’s family members publicly apologized to the community. Hydro-Quebec had been scheduled to make a presentation to Mistissini, but was told there were other matters the community had to discuss.
Trapper said the investigation goes back to information
police received a couple of years ago. The investigation was hampered partly by a lack of dedicated manpower, he said. “We had to keep up the patrols.” Today there is a new system in place at Mistissini that allows police to concentrate on investigations like this.
The police say they were encouraged by the response from Mistissini residents at the local assembly. “It was overwhelming, the amount of support. We didn’t expect that,” said Trapper.
Trapper said police are looking at other known and suspected drug dealers, keeping them under surveillance as part of a serious anti-drug campaign. He said the kids buying drugs could be as young as 11 years old.
“The drug are readily available. We know for a fact the older pushers won’t sell it to the kids but the younger pushers working on the streets do. In a way that’s how bad it is,” said Trapper. He said young smokers often pool their weekly allowances so they can afford to buy grass.
Trapper says some of the success the police are having is due to community members calling in with information. Anyone can call or mail information to the police with complete anonymity, said Trapper.
Trapper said the big bust has had a positive effect but doesn’t expect it to bepermanent. “At this moment that I am talking to you I don’t think there is a person outthere selling but once the tension dies down it will start up again. It’s the way theyoperate.”
