'Shocking' amounts of cocaine a bigger problem than opioids in Cape Breton, say police

This story is part of a series by CBC Cape Breton examining the use of street drugs on the island.Click here toread more stories in this series.

While Canada fights a deadlyopioid crisisthat public health officials say has only worsenedduring the COVID-19 pandemic,a different kind of drug is takinghold in Cape Breton with a pervasiveness that has stunned even law enforcement.

Cocaine has been on the island for decades, but it has edged out other illegal and illicit substancesin the past year and a half to become one of the most popular drugs in Cape Breton, leading to addiction and, in some cases, death.

"I think the best word to describe it is shocking when you actually see how much cocaine there is in this community and how many different groups of people that are trafficking in it," said Const. John Campbell, a street crimes officer with the Cape Breton Regional Police Service.

Opioidshave been blamed for thousands of deaths in Canada since the pandemic began,but Campbell said police in Cape Breton have actually seen a decrease in opioid use on the street.

In its place, cocainehas emerged as the preferred drug for various walks of life.

Cape Breton police would not provide CBC News with numbers showing how much more cocaine they're seeing.

But police say they believe the rise in cocaine use on the island has been fuelled bygovernment financial assistance handed out during the pandemic. Campbellsaid theCanada Emergency Response Benefit the federal government'sprimary source of support for households affected by the pandemic hasresulted in some locals purchasing street drugs with the extra cash.

Cocaine has become a weekend party drug for many Cape Bretoners and that troubles Campbell.

"They're at home and they're having drinks and then, you know, they're having a hard time staying awake," he said. "So they do a bump of cocaine like it's nothing, like they're having a coffee."

In August alone, six people were treated in hospital in Cape Bretonas a result of infections from injecting the stimulant, saidGiuliaDi Giorgio, chair of theCape Breton Association of People Empowering Drug Users.

Of those six, one person died andtwo had to beadmitted to the ICU, said Di Giorgio.

There are also concerns about what cocaine might be cut with. Cutting refers to the diluting of a drug with another substance. Dealers do this to increase the volume of their product in order to make more money.

"The cocaine has been coming back testing positive for fentanyl, which is really scary," said Di Giorgio, whose organization advocates for harm reduction and thesafe supply of drugs.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid thatHealth Canada says is 20 to 40 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. A few grains are enough to cause death.

For those who end up hooked on cocainebut can't afford their new habit, petty crime sometimes becomes the only way to get the money they need.

"People go to No Frills [grocery store] and they'll steal hundreds of dollars in meat products and then take it to a drug dealer's house in exchange for cocaine," said Campbell,adding that "it all starts at organized crime."

Ever since the legalization of marijuana in 2018, Campbell said cocaine has become the drug of choice in Cape Breton'sillegal drug trade. Itis being pushed by low-level street dealers and motorcycle gangs, which have had anincreased presence on the island in the last few years.

Late in 2019, Cape Breton police seized over $100,000 in drugs, including cocaine, along with weaponsfrom men connected to the Outlaws and Black Pistons motorcycle gangs.

Campbell said motorcycle gangs trafficand sell drugs to make money. To better blend in with the community, they run charitable events and other activities.

"They put themselves out there fundraising and... go and support children that are being bullied in schools," he said. "Then the general public, who don't really know them, think that they're decent people."

Recruiters involved in organized crime are also infiltrating local schools by enlisting minors to sell drugs to their peers or groom other youth, as young as Grade 10 students,to become dealers.

"Adults recruit youth to sell because of the market demand in schools," said Const. Danielle Campbell, a school liaison officer with Cape Breton police.

While cocaine is big on the streets, she said the drugs being sold at schools are mainly marijuana and prescription pills, which have become a hot item for students in Cape Breton.

"Students are also using or abusing pharmaceutical drugs, which are typically prescribed for ADHD, such as Ritalin and Adderall," she said.

• More stories from CBC Cape Breton's examination of street drug use on the island

Police say they're trying to shut down outlaw motorcycle gangs and other organized crime that putdrugs on the street, but they are up against a multibillion-dollar global industry.

John Campbell said people should talk to their loved ones about drug use, whileDi Giorgio said people who are using drugs can reach out to the Ally Centre in Sydney to get their drugs tested to make sure they're safe.

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