CITY MEN FACE JAIL IN U.S. ECSTASY BUST

One of Biggest Drug Seizures in State's History

LAWYERS defending three Winnipeg men awaiting trial in Montana for
allegedly smuggling a large quantity of the drug ecstasy into the U.S.
want key evidence in the case thrown out. The lawyers claim the police
search that led to the discovery of the drugs was nothing more than a
prolonged and unlawful "fishing expedition."

In a motion filed jointly on behalf of Christian Laurin, 19, Alan
Mulder, 19, and Hells Angels associate Timothy Morneau, 32, in a
Billings, Mont., court, defence lawyers said their clients were held
for more than an hour and repeatedly cross-examined by police who
demonstrated "obnoxious and obscene" behaviour.

The three have been in custody since Feb. 9 after being pulled over by
state troopers on an Interstate highway near Glendive for having a
burnt-out headlight. Police have indicated in court documents
inconsistent statements given by the three led them to search the
vehicle and find three duffel bags containing about 68 kilograms of
the drug.

Drug enforcement officials have called the seizure one of the largest
in the state's history. If convicted, the three Winnipeggers face a
mandatory 10 years in a federal prison, and a $4-million fine each.
Neither of the two teenagers has a prior criminal record. The trio is
charged with conspiracy to possess ecstasy for distribution and
possession with intent to distribute.

The June 22 document asks the court to throw out any evidence seized
by police from the car -- including the drugs -- as "inadmissible
findings of an illegal search." The suppression of the evidence would
likely result in the case being tossed and the men being quickly released.

The 17-page motion is a blow-by-blow account -- from the perspective
of the accused -- of the roadside investigation leading up to the
police search of Mulder's 2003 Volkswagen Golf, which was being driven
by Laurin when officer Glenn Quinnell stopped them for the burnt-out
light.

After indicating he was going to write up a warning for the
infraction, another officer appeared at the scene. Quinnell is said to
have told the officer he was going to pull Laurin out of the car and
question him.

After five minutes of one-on-one questioning, Laurin allegedly told
police he and the other teen were on their way to visit a friend of
Mulder's in Billings whom he had never met and couldn't name. He also
is reported to have told police Morneau was a stranger they had picked
up hitchhiking near a truck stop in Minot, N.D.

Twenty-one minutes into the traffic stop, Quinnell had also questioned
Morneau and Mulder, while leaving Laurin in the back of his cruiser
car. Morneau -- who at the time said his name was Cliff Aymont -- told
the officer the two had picked him up at the truck stop. Mulder denied
knowing who Morneau was.

According to the motion, Quinnell called a drug enforcement officer to
request a police dog come to the scene to sniff the vehicle. After 33
minutes had passed, no dog appeared, so Quinnell took Mulder out of
the car, frisked him and placed him in the back of the cruiser car.
After a few minutes, Mulder is said to have hesitantly agreed to allow
the officer to search his car.

The three were escorted back to the police station in Glendive, where
it was Morneau's turn to be questioned in the back of Quinnell's
cruiser. He told the officer his snowmobile had broken down in Minot
and that he had hitched a ride from the teenagers. He further admitted
to bringing three bags along with him.

At that point, Morneau owned up to his real name and gave it to the
officer. By the time an hour had passed, Morneau said he didn't know
what was inside the bags still in the trunk of the unsearched car.

He also contended Laurin and Mulder were not known to him, in
contradiction to police documents in which Morneau allegedly told
police he was to be paid $5,000 for bringing the drugs into the U.S.,
from which the teenagers would each receive $1,000.