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Pub owner targets drug dealers

By Stacey MarpleHaida Gwaii ObserverSteve Marshall, owner of Mile Zero Pub in downtown Masset, has had enough of the drug dealing occurring in and around his bar and is now taking matters into his own hands. Mr. Marshall released a notice to drug dealers in Masset on his Facebook page, stating that he has received information that some Masset drug dealers have been selling drugs in and around Mile Zero Pub, both outside and in the washrooms. Mr. Marshall confirmed that he was informed by the Masset RCMP of the problem. "The illegal drug trade affects all of us. How will you feel if your neighbour, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, friend or cousin falls victim to a possible overdose or causes damage to others putting themselves in jail and you did nothing?" Mr. Marshall states in his Facebook post. He is now looking for information on who exactly is dealing drugs in Masset and especially in or around his pub. He states all informants will remain anonymous. "People know, when I say nobody will know, nobody knows," Mr. Marshall said in a telephone interview.At press time the reaction from the community has been overwhelmingly positive. "I have had many responses. The sad thing is that it is the same exact people, except for a few, when I went through this five years ago." "How can this possibly continuously keep happening in a small, tight community like Masset? The reason is because nobody stands up and speaks out," Mr. Marshall's Facebook post reads. "I basically did the challenge for a couple reasons-one, to get it away from my bar. Two, it's not good for anybody." Mr. Marshall would like to see Skidegate and Old  Massett Band Councils step up and address the problem. "You guys know who's selling drugs, as leaders in the community you have the power to make a statement," he wrote, adding that people complain to him about band council doing nothing. "I'm calling out the people of the community, I'm calling out the band council, I have had a lot of support, people are mad."  Mr. Marshall's Facebook post has been met with many positive responses for calling out the drug dealers. "I was brought up that if you whine about something, you better do something or shut up, I'm doing something," Mr. Marshall told the Observer. Once Mr. Marshall receives enough information that specific people are dealing drugs he will permanently bar them from Mile Zero Pub. "I have the right as a licensee to refuse service to anyone I feel does damage to my business." Mr. Marshall  said.