JAILED DRUG SMUGGLER FINGERS TWO 'BOSSES'

Boat Was Sent To Transport Cocaine To B.C.

A former Maple Ridge car salesman, who picked up 12 kilograms of
cocaine from Washington state's San Juan Islands to bring to B.C.,
told a drug trial yesterday he was taking orders from two other men.

Troy Craig took the stand at the trial of Salvatore

Ciancio and Christopher Lees, two B.C. men charged with conspiracy to
import cocaine in 2001.

Craig had agreed to co-operate with U.S. authorities in busting the
cocaine drop.

"I just knew it was all over," said Craig, explaining why he
co-operated.

Craig operated the Athena, a boat owned by Ciancio, and said he used
it to deliver marijuana to the U.S. on several occasions.

"He [Ciancio] wanted me, with my knowledge [of boating] to go and
figure out safe ways to smuggle drugs," said Craig, who was brought in
to testify from an undisclosed U.S. prison, where he is serving a
16-year sentence for his role in the smuggling attempt.

Craig said Ciancio told him where to go for the pickup and instructed
him to call Lees when he got there.

"Sal and I, we discussed the whole plan," he said. "I phoned Mr. Lees
from the payphone" [when he arrived on Orcas Island].

A number of intercepted phone calls, mostly between Ciancio and Lees,
were played in court. In one, Lees refers to someone who turned out to
be a "cheeseball" or rat, and is heard saying, "Troy's trying to
cheese everyone out."

On one phone call between two voices, identified by Craig as Lees and
Ciancio, one excitedly says that police were there for the drop and
the other responds, "Aaaaaargh."