Melfort Provincial Court. (File photo/northeastNOW staff)

By northeastNOW staff

David Barks bail

Man accused of trafficking out on bail

Apr 17, 2023 | 5:40 PM

A man charged in a drug trafficking operation was released on bail Monday morning in Melfort provincial court.

David Barks, 39, is accused of being part of a drug trafficking operation in the Melfort and Kinistino areas.

He was initially charged last year. However, court documents show he was back in custody after being accused of violating the conditions of his release earlier this month.

In court, he was released on $1,000 bail, with a variety of conditions that include abstaining from alcohol, a curfew, and not entering businesses that sell alcohol or cannabis.

In May 2022, Saskatchewan RCMP’s Prince Albert Crime Reduction Team began investigating a drug trafficking operation in Melfort and the surrounding area.

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The investigation continued through the summer. CRT officers used specialized advanced tactics, including surveillance and judicially-authorized tracking, to gather evidence.

In October RCMP searched various properties in the region. They found 178 grams of cocaine, 15 grams of methamphetamine, cash, and three firearms.

Barks was among three people charged, with possession of cocaine and methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking, possessing proceeds of crime, and having a gun without a licence.

RCMP said drugs from the operation were being trafficked in Saskatoon, Prince Albert, Melfort, Star City, Tisdale, Kinistino and Pleasantdale.

Additional charges were laid against Barks in December, after a traffic stop in Melfort. That led to a search of his home, where police say they found two loaded shotguns, one rifle, 3 cellphones, scales, drug trafficking paraphernalia, a conducted energy weapon, as well as crystal meth, crack cocaine and MDMA (ecstasy).

He’s due back in court on May 1 for a plea and faces over a dozen charges in total.

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doug.lett@pattisonmedia.com