Drugs...

Drugs...

Criminal motives: murderous, malevolent, convoluted. Matters of the heart, matters of sanity, money matters. In real life, illicit drugs are the driving force behind most crime.

Drugs…

Crimes are linked to their illicit use, illicit dealing, and illicit production. The addict who is seeking funds for a fix will lie, coerce, threaten, steal, kill. The dealer trying to collect what’s owed will torture, blackmail, harass, kill. Gangs protecting their business turf will brandish weapons in broad daylight on a busy downtown street and kill. Robbery, murder, prostitution, and gun play.

Selling drugs to the 7-year-old boy and pimping the 12-year-old girl. Breaking legs. Digging graves. Corrupting the business world, cyberspace, the justice system. Killing.

“Every kilo of cocaine sold in Canada has passed through the hands of a Hells Angel,” I learned at an RCMP presentation on drugs and gangs. Don’t underestimate the power of these people. You don’t have to be an addict, a dealer, a homeless person, a revver of a Harley to fall under their influence. You have to be human—with a weakness.

Even the purist of love for someone or something can make you vulnerable—perhaps your child has a problem or your lover a debt. Maybe there’s an erstwhile goal you want to achieve, an object you want to possess, a job you want to have, an enemy you wish would disappear. Perhaps you’re guilty of a sin you wish to keep hidden. Perhaps you’re lonely, sad, sick, or depressed. Maybe you need to belong to a band of brothers. Perhaps you crave excitement.

Biker gangs and other organized crime have the money to solve your problems and make your dreams come true. They have the influence, the contacts, the power…the bullets. And then…you owe them....

And…they will collect….

If you doubt the power of organized criminals, these are just a few of the headline stories for the single month of August 2010 in the single country of Canada. (with the exception of the Italian snake story.)

TORONTO - Outfitted with an Uzi, duct tape, plastic ties, rope and balaclavas, the thugs were on the way to kidnap someone. The intended target -- police won't say who the victim is or where he lives -- is safe, Peel Det.-Sgt. Kieran O'Connor said Thursday.
The investigation shut down a group that imported, manufactured and sold illicit drugs on the streets.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2010/08/13/15011871.html

WINNIPEG - A former member of the Manitoba Hells Angels biker gang pleaded guilty in court Wednesday to manslaughter.
Billy Bowden, 35, reached a plea agreement with the Crown that sees him sentenced to four years for the Nov. 18, 2007, stabbing death of 24-year-old Jeff Engen.
Engen died after being stabbed several times in the chest during a fight. http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2010/08/12/14998316.html

Hells Angel gunned down in Vancouver
VANCOUVER – A member East Vancouver's Hells Angels was shot and killed at his house near city hall early Thursday.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2010/08/12/15004386.html

And…they are violent…

LONDON, Ont. — Two people are facing numerous drug and gun charges after a paintball gun was fired at a car on Friday, police say.
A car, driving in London's east end at about 3:30 p.m., noticed another vehicle drove by and one of its occupants armed with what appeared to be a long gun. He then heard something strike his car.
When officers found the suspect vehicle, they also found a paintball gun, 8 grams of crack and $320 worth of oxycontin.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2010/08/09/14967691.html

Two men face a variety of charges after a stolen car was pulled over and Edmonton police found what they describe as explosive devices in the car and on one of the suspects. Police said Wednesday that one man, 39, has been charged with possession of stolen property, possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking…etc.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/08/11/ed-bomb-scare-sherwood-park-freeway.html

Last Friday RCMP raided a home just north of Stony Plain. They found 5,200 grams of hash valued at $78,000 and 850 grams of marijuana valued at $8,500. Police also found a cache of ammunition and weapons including:
a loaded .22 calibre pistol a loaded IMI (Israel Military Industries) Galil 7.62mm semi
automatic assault rifle
a mini 14 .223 calibre assault rifle
an Ithica 12 gauge pump action shot gun
a Winchester 30-30 rifle
oversized magazines to fit both of the assault rifles
A 49-year-old Stony Plain man faces 21 counts related to firearms offences, in addition to possession of marijuana and possession of hash for the purpose of trafficking.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/08/10/edm-stony-plain-drug-bust.html#ixzz0wExUex57

And they are unpredictable and innovative…

ROME - Italian police seized a rare albino python in Rome on Wednesday in a raid on a group of drug traffickers who used the snake to guard cocaine and intimidate customers who owed them money.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2010/08/11/14996196.html


Police in southeastern B.C. have raided a marijuana grow operation that was apparently guarded by black bears. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/british-columbia/story/2010/08/17/bc-marijuana-grow-op-bears.html

TORONTO - A Colombian man is behind bars after allegedly trying to smuggle almost 2 kilograms of cocaine in his underwear through Toronto's Pearson International Airport.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2010/08/10/14981246.html

And…the top dogs are wealthy…

Seized bikers' den had a mortgage
By PAUL TURENNE, QMI Agency

WINNIPEG - The Hells Angels' Winnipeg clubhouse was a place that hosted barbecues and Ultimate Fighting Championship viewing parties, but was also allegedly a hub of criminal activity that was funded by drug money, according to court documents prepared for the home's seizure last week.

Police allege the $927 monthly mortgage payments were made from "...profits from drug trafficking, drug taxes and the payment of dues by members of the Hells Angels and payment of dues and drug taxes by members of the Zig-Zag Crew or other associates..."
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Crime/2010/08/05/14928511.html

My Back Tracker series and my parallel novel, Noraebang, explore this violent, explosive, engaging world of bikers and drugs. They also highlight the bravery, intelligence, personalities, and tenacity of the men and women thwarting these gangsters.

Until next time, dear writers—may YOUR crime always pay…

Agent and publishing rights to the Back Tracker series, the novel "Noraebang"
and the 'tween crime novel, "Aerdrie" are available. More info, including excerpts at http://www.eileenschuh.com/

Eileen Schuh's first published novel, "Shrodinger's Cat" will be released by Wolfsinger Publications in both print and ebook formats in 2011.

Good Cops, Bad Cops

I didn’t have to look far in July to find intriguing crime headlines. Several local news stories (“local” as in Alberta, Canada) drew national and international attention. This month, my blog focuses on crime fighters, rather than criminals.

Please respect those involved in these headlines. Remember the accused are innocent until proven guilty and victims and their families may not find the crimes as entertaining as you and I might.

Even though it was not the most important news item, this witty headline captured my eye and held it—“Internal probe reveals naughty Mounties.” This CBC article by KATHLEEN HARRIS, Parliamentary Bureau starts off great, too: “OTTAWA -- From masturbating in a cruiser and surfing porn on the job to drunk driving and sexual assault, Mounties from all ranks have been busted for bad behaviour...”
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Politics/2010/07/18/14751266.html

Headlines that cast a pall over law enforcement or the justice system always catch my eye as I’ve had several professional readers complain that the cops, lawyers, and judges in my stories say, think, and do things that real ones would never say, think, or do. Headlines that prove even Canada’s world-famous Royal Canadian Mounted Police are as human as the rest of us, make me feel smug, self-righteous, and justified. (Because, I, too, am human!)

I respect all those in the law enforcement and legal professions and admire the great work they do. I know that both news headlines and fiction exploit the unusual to spark interest. Just as rain in Vancouver isn’t newsworthy, neither would the missteps and mistakes of members of the RCMP if it was a corrupt police force. It’s because we greatly admire the men and women in scarlet serge that their weaknesses fascinate us.

One of my favourite writing strategies is combining news stories to create a backdrop to my novels. This lends my stories a semblance of believability. If one were to combine the ‘naughty Mountie’ headline with another July headline, “Alberta man unarmed when shot by RCMP” http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2010/07/19/okotoks-calgary-shooting-.html#ixzz0uBSlcZnb we have the possibility of a great tale.

Of course the unarmed Alberta man allegedly made a great pretence of being armed and there is no indication that the officer who shot him was at all naughty, but the lovely thing about fiction is that one can ignore such facts and create excitement that rivals that of the truth. If it’s the truth that Mounties can get caught masturbating in their squad cars, it’s not too big a leap of faith to have a fictional cop shooting an unarmed rival who perhaps was after his woman or who had video evidence of him surfing porn sites...so something equally sordid.

A sad headline, but one that has many facets was: “Accused Mountie in deep depression Charged with second-degree murder in wife's death.” http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/07/12/edmonton-rcmp-constable-charged-court.html#ixzz0uBRpRSxf

The fact that the Mountie and the victim were immigrants from India, tinges the crime with the issue of culture shock and the stress it puts on relationships. Some neighbours reported seeing the victim assaulting her husband in the past--an interesting twist to domestic violence. Mental health issues often play a role in crime. Although it is usually schizophrenia that peaks reporters’ and novelists’ interest, in real life, depression has toppled many more a fine man—and woman.

Most Albertans would agree that most intriguing story in July was the case of the missing elderly couple, the discovery of their burnt out motorhome, and the search for the SUV they’d been towing. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2010/07/19/vader-mccann-arrrest.html#ixzz0uBQefMMs

Adding to the mystery is the reluctance of the police to discuss the case, which is normal while they’re investigating. However, the tidbits of info they did release in order to enlist the media and public help in locating the couple, sent active imaginations, racing. It won’t be until the investigation is concluded or (if police make arrests in connection with the case) until the evidence is unveiled in court that we will know what happened.

Meanwhile, the police are unwilling to defend themselves against accusation that the investigation was botched from the beginning. Reportedly the burned-out motorhome scene wasn’t investigated thoroughly until the family reported the couple missing—several days after the motorhome had been found. It’s also alleged that police initially dismissed witnesses who reported sighting the missing SUV across the provincial border in Prince George, B.C.

The way the investigation is being handled has sparked almost as much public interest as the mystery itself—an angle that I like. The main characters in my crime novels are not the criminals but law enforcement officials. The criminal mind, as fascinating as it is*, still plays second fiddle to the men and women who can outwit it.

I try to imbue my novels with social comment, giving them some value aside from pure entertainment. Inspired by these July news headlines, crime writers could weave into their plots information on culture shock, domestic violence, depression, the aftermath of a wrong split-second life-and-death decision, investigative errors, and the value of hindsight. We could also reveal to our readers some basic human behaviours which transcend career choices and uniforms.

Stories that explore such issues enable readers to better understand and empathize with people affected by them. In the past, such enlightenment has been known to inspire positive societal changes. In addition, well-written fiction has always served to strengthen readers who find themselves facing challenges similar to those faced by their literary heroes and heroines.

Until next month, may Crime be on your side.
__________________________________________

*If the criminal mind fascinates you, I invite you to read my website articles, “I met a man with empty eyes” http://www.eileenschuh.com/i-met-a-man-with-empty-eyes/ and “Empty eyes, empty heart”
http://www.eileenschuh.com/empty-eyes-empty-heart/

Eileen Schuh is the author of “Schrödinger’s Cat” a novella to be released by Wolfsinger Publications in 2011. Agent and publishing rights are available for her Back Tracker series of crime novels, the parallel novel, “Noraebang” and her adolescent crime novel, “Aerdrie”. More information about her published and unpublished work is on her website. http://www.eileenschuh.com