Project Deplete down to 1 arrest warrant

Police have made a 12th arrest in Project Deplete, a long-term drug and organized crime investigation.

Elmer John Deato, 26, was taken into police custody Tuesday.

Police are still looking for David Thomas, age 29, on charges of possession of a restricted firearm, weapons trafficking, and possession of proceeds of crime.

Anyone with information on Thomas' whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 786-TIPS (8477).

Kareem Martin, 31, Dane Sawatzky, 27, Mark Beitz, 31, Dalton Miller, 21 were all taken into custody since the first arrests were made on Friday.

AGENT PAID $500K FOR SNITCHING

Using a paid police informant was one tactic employed in the recent RCMP-Winnipeg police sweep of the drug underworld — continuing a scheme used by police in similar high-level crime probes in the recent past.

An undercover agent is to be paid in the range of $500,000 for his or her role in Project Deplete, a justice source confirmed Monday.

The latest sweep saw charges laid against people police accuse of being major players in the city’s drug trade. Some have gang associations, others are more “independent,” police said.

Full Story (Winnipeg Sun)