Twelve people, including two sex trade workers and 10 johns, were arrested this month as part of the Burnaby RCMP's latest crime reduction project targeting prostitution along Kingsway between Boundary Road in Vancouver and 10th Avenue in New Westminster.
The Burnaby RCMP's prolific offender suppression team has been conducting the project since June 2010 as part of the detachment's crime reduction strategy. The initiative involves targeted undercover enforcement of street level sex trade workers and sex trade consumers.
"The project, which has been running for over a year, has resulted in 51 prostitution-related charges," Burnaby RCMP Chief Supt. Dave Critchley said in a press release. "The priority remained the targeting of the sex trade consumers. In one particular instance, a weapon was found on one of the men arrested. This type of behaviour poses a great risk to the sex trade workers, the members and the community as whole. This type of behavior will not be tolerated and we will continue to work on ways to combat this type of crime. One of our main goals in these types of projects it to identify the sex trade worker and provide them with the necessary community assistance. We are pleased to see a reduction in the number of sex trade workers in the area and a drastic reduction in calls for service."
Of the 12 people arrested this month, two were female sex trade workers and the other 10 were johns, and they are now facing charges of communication for the purpose of prostitution. In addition, one man was allegedly found in possession of a Taser and has been charged with possession of a prohibited weapon, while two men were also allegedly found to be in possession of cocaine and are facing charges of possession for the purpose of trafficking.
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