Opiate sale crackdown
Man arrested as poppy powder, opium seized at Indian stores in Brampton area
By TOM GODFREY, SUN MEDIA
Peel police arrested one man in a crackdown of Indian stores in the Brampton area allegedly openly selling Afghan-grown poppy powder and opium on their shelves.
Police alleged yesterday the highly-addictive opium and a form of its powder called doda, which contains lesser amounts of opium, are being illegally sold in some stores in Toronto and Peel Region.
The force's Morality Bureau executed search warrants on Monday at Nath Meat and Chicken Deli, on Sandalwood Pkwy. E., and seized more than $10,000 of opium pods and 38.4 kilograms of doda, Const Wayne Patterson said.
COMMUNITY COMPLAINTS
He said a probe into the sale of doda was launched following complaints from the members of the community.
"We are alleging pure opium was being sold at some places," Patterson said.
Community members said doda is widely used by members of the Sikh, Hindu and other communities. They said the opium is smuggled into Canada from Afghanistan.
Unlike opium, doda is made by grinding buds from the dried poppy plants. It is sold in Toronto-area flower shops and used for decorative purposes.
Ashwani Bhangal, 42, of Brampton, has been charged with three counts of trafficking and possession of opium for the purpose of trafficking.