Health Minister Cameron Friesen promised a plan to overcome the local methamphetamine crisis in October, but a report from a new task force to combat drug trafficking said the plan would not be available to the public until June 2019.
Crime Stoppers announced the 100% increase in rewards for tips that help to fight meth crisis and arrest criminals dealing drugs and selling it to teenagers and even youth.
Winnipeg Officials say methamphetamine has become such a crisis that a decision to temporarily double its cash rewards for information solving crimes related to the street drug was made unanimously within the group.
“Meth users often experience a state of confusion and anxiety that can easily translate into an increase in violence,” said Paul Johnson, the group’s chairman.
Winnipeg authorities started a full-scale investigation into city`s meth problem. As per Winnipeg Police, there is a spike in meth-related crime incidents, like property theft, residential break-ins, unreasonable anger towards each other (meth users) and other people around them, violent attacks, some ending up in lethal outcomes for victims.
The three-level task force includes provincial, federal, and municipal leaders who will jointly respond to the rapid increase in the use and distribution of methamphetamine throughout the province.
Crime Stoppers typically offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information leading to arrests for crimes but is doubling that amount to $2,000 for meth-related offenses until the end of February.
Methamphetamine is a real problem in Canada, the majority of people involved are youth and older teenagers. There is a study conducted by Winnipeg Police department about how people on meth are no longer productive, so they have to find other ways to get money to fuel their addiction and get more drugs. People on meth turn to pity theft and other, more serious crimes. Bike theft, residential break-ins, garage theft is now a rising problem in the city.