248 charges laid against 43 people in Calgary meth crackdown

Calgary police say they've arrested 43 people and laid 248 charges as part of a crackdown on methamphetaminein the city.

Dubbed the Daylight Initiative, the program is trying to stem the rising tide of meth use through investigation, enforcement, public education and community support, according to police.

The latest arrests and charges took place in January and February and relate to street-level trafficking as well as trafficking from residential homes, according to police.

"The trafficking of drugs in our city happens not only in the downtown, but also in the vast majority of communities in our city. This is a complex social issue that will take a collective effort to resolve,"saidInsp. KevinForsenin a news release.

"Enforcement is only one part of the equation and we will remain dedicated to doing what we can to keep our citizens safe."

Weapons and drugs

Police say they seized everything from crack cocaine to LSD to marijuana while executing search warrants throughout the city.

The service says it seized 79.4 grams of meth.

Inaddition to the drugs, police say they also seized:

• Two handguns.
• One shotgun.
• Three replica handguns.
• Brass knuckles.
• Nine knives.
• Crossbow.
• Baton.

One personwas arrested twice in two separate investigations related to the Daylight Initiative, according to police.