People in Aklavik, N.W.T., demonstrate outside suspected drug dealer's home

Some people in Aklavik, N.W.T., made a clear demonstration on Saturday night that they don't want drugs in their community.

Two videos shared over the weekend on social media show about two dozen vehicles all parked on the road outside of a suspected drug dealer's home in the hamlet. The videos were widely shared and generated hundreds of comments.

CBC News spoke with a person who was part of the demonstration on Saturday night. They refused to give their name or comment publicly, citing concern for public safety.

Other people in Aklavik declined to comment on the matter saying they have concerns about dealers coming back to the community.

In a news release Tuesday, Aklavik RCMP acknowledged that they "were notified that several residents of the community had verbally confronted a group of three males, which they believed were involved in drug trafficking." 

Police say the men ran into the woods and "shortly thereafter a package containing suspected cocaine was found and turned over to Aklavik RCMP for further investigation." 

'Quit being afraid'

The shared videos had plenty of comments about how drugs are not welcome in the communities of the region.

Joe Nasogaluak of Tuktoyaktuk, N.W.T., is one of the people who commented on the video. He told CBC News that people have to speak up, if they have information, to get dealers and bootleggers to stop.

"Quit being afraid. If you see issues like this, get together, get the good people together, the people who are not afraid, do something," he said.

"It is time we do something for our people in our communities."

Nasogaluak said communities need to make it clear that illegal activity is not welcome.

"Because our forefathers did that. When there was something wrong in the community, they would get together and fix that," said Nasogaluak.

RCMP discouraged members of the public from taking the law into their own hands.

"While this was an example of solidarity shown by the community, the RCMP encourages the public to engage the police, rather than to take matters into their own hands," Tuesday's news release reads.

Police said investigations can take time and steps need to be followed "to ensure success as cases work their ways through the justice system." 

Police said residents should reach out with information about suspected criminal activity.