SECURITY TIGHTENS BUT DRUGS MISSED

4.5 Kg Of Cocaine Seized From Aircraft

The discovery of 4.5 kilograms of cocaine on a Jamaican jet in Winnipeg --
one week after terrorist attacks in the United States -- shows ground
security at North American airports is too lax, police say.

"As a citizen, I'm concerned this could be secreted on a plane behind the
pilot at a time like this," vice Insp. Stan Tataryn said.

"If people can hide 10 pounds (4.5 kilos) of cocaine on a plane, can
someone else hide 10 pounds of C-4 explosives?"

Maintenance workers found 10 one-pound bundles of cocaine in panels behind
the cockpit of the Air Jamaica Airbus on Tuesday evening.

Tataryn said that since September 1999, 15 drug seizures have been made on
aircraft at the Air Canada maintenance hanger, which is opposite Winnipeg
International Airport. Most of the seizures -- cocaine and hashish --
involved Air Canada planes.

Tataryn and federal NDP transport critic Bev Desjarlais said this week's
cocaine seizure shows anyone could have access to an aircraft -- something
Air Canada must address in the aftermath of terrorist attacks in New York
City and Washington.

"Americans and Canadians want improved aircraft security," the Churchill MP
said. "There are measures they can and should put in place."

Desjarlais mentioned better use of surveillance cameras, X-ray machines and
police dogs that sniff out drugs and explosives.

"Yes, it's costly, but nothing is as costly as what we've seen in the last
week in the United States," she said.

On Sept. 11, terrorists walked through security at U.S. airports and
hijacked four passenger jets, crashing two into the World Trade Center and
a third into the Pentagon. The fourth plane crashed into the Pennsylvania
countryside when passengers apparently attacked the hijackers.

Desjarlais said airport security around North America has increased since
last week, as officials better search passengers and luggage.

"People recognize the seriousness of this," she said.

"Yes, travellers are in a hurry and like to move quickly, but I don't think
it's unreasonable to get a dog to check an aircraft before passengers get on."

She said she will write a letter to Transport Minister David Collenette
about her concerns. Collenette has already said airline pilots are
immediately required to lock cockpit doors during flights. He has rejected
calls for armed "sky marshals," saying it's a radical, costly idea.

In the past, Transport Canada officials have refused to admit cause for
concern about smuggled drugs being found on planes in Winnipeg. A spokesman
was unavailable yesterday.

Air Canada spokeswoman Charlotte Wardell said Air Canada cannot be held
responsible for illicit material secretly loaded on aircraft in a foreign
country, even if the aircraft becomes Air Canada's responsibility when it
lands here for maintenance.

The Air Jamaica Airbus left Kingston, Jamaica on Sunday for Miami and
Atlanta. It then flew to Winnipeg without passengers.

Wardell said Canada's national air carrier has taken extensive steps in the
past week to increase passenger and aircraft security.

She also said the fact drugs have been stashed on planes was unrelated to
passenger safety.

"A limited number of people have access to an aircraft," she said.
"Maintenance and cargo handling are two very separate issues."

Tataryn was unimpressed. He said the regularity in which drugs are found on
passenger jets at the Air Canada facility shows there's a security breach
somewhere in the chain.

"They've got to look more at what's happening in the U.S.," he said.

He said the cocaine was likely placed on the plane in Jamaica and destined
for somewhere in the United States. Whoever was supposed to take it off
apparently didn't get a chance before the plane arrived in Winnipeg.