HELLS ANGEL IN BC JAIL ON US CHARGES

A full-patch Hells Angel from Mission is being held in a B.C. jail for
at least a week after being arrested on U.S. drug importation and
money laundering charges.

[redacted] was arrested by the RCMP in Fort St. John on
Friday, just as he was about to participate in Canadian Motorcycle
Drag Racing Association races, Staff Sgt. Dave Goddard said.

"It has to do with an extradition request in the U.S. So he is looking
at charges down there," Goddard said. "The RCMP Greater Vancouver drug
section obtained an extradition warrant for [redacted] arrest, as received
from the Public Prosecution Service of Canada."

Goddard said [redacted] was taken to Vancouver, where he made a brief
appearance Tuesday in B.C. Supreme Court and was ordered held in
custody until July 29 by Associate Chief Justice Patrick Dohm.

Goddard said the criminal case against [redacted] resulted from a two-year
joint U.S. and Canadian law enforcement initiative that resulted in
the seizure of large amounts of marijuana and cash.

According to U.S. court documents obtained by The Vancouver Sun, [redacted]
and [redacted] allegedly conspired to import more than 100
kilograms of marijuana into eastern Washington state from B.C. between
May 1, 2002 and April 30, 2003 and then conspired to import more than
1,000 kilograms the following year.

The pair is also jointly charged with conspiring to distribute the
B.C. bud in the U.S. in the same time frame. [redacted] and [redacted] also
allegedly smuggled "bulk cash" in the amount of $184,570 by hiding it
in a backpack to sneak it into Canada on Feb. 17, 2003, the documents
state.

The documents say [redacted] was last known to reside at [redacted], while
[redacted], lives in [redacted].

[redacted] will now be in jail through the weekend, meaning he will miss the
Hells Angels 25th anniversary party being hosted by the White Rock
chapter in Langley. The Vancouver, White Rock and Nanaimo chapters
were all founded in July 1983.

The Sun has learned [redacted] was part of a Canada Revenue Agency
investigation into the assets and earnings of bikers in B.C.

[redacted] was served on Jan. 24, 2005 with a CRA letter of requirement
demanding that he file individual income tax returns for the years
2001, 2002, 2003 and statements of assets and liabilities for the same
three years.

He was one of 42 members, associates, wives and girlfriends who then
filed a Federal Court of Canada challenge against the CRA demands,
claiming the agency was improperly colluding with police to
investigate the proceeds of organized crime.

Just as the case was going to be heard this spring, the CRA agreed to
withdraw the letters and the litigation ended.

The U.S. allegations that [redacted] attempted to smuggle almost $200,000
into Canada -- before the CRA demanded detailed information of his
assets -- was not mentioned anywhere in the Federal Court of Canada
case.

According to land-title records, [redacted], who lists his profession as
mechanic, continues to reside at his [redacted] home, on which he took
out a $195,000 mortgage in 2005. He also owns a green 2001 Harley
Davidson motorcycle, according to the personal property registry.