LEADER OF CROSS-BORDER DRUG RING PLEADS GUILTY

A woman accused of being the ringleader of an international
drug-trafficking and money-laundering operation pleaded guilty to
charges laid against her in Canada, including tax evasion, and waived
an extradition hearing yesterday.

Mai Le, 41, will now travel to the U.S. to face charges against her
there.

Ms. Le was one of several people arrested in a string of raids on
marijuana grow-ops and related sites that involved police forces in
cities across North America on March 30, 2004.

An agreed statement of facts shows the cross-border drug operation was
based in Ottawa. The operation, known as Operation Codi in Canada and
Operation Candy Box in the U.S., resulted in almost 200 arrests,
including 40 in Ottawa.

The cross-border sweep targeted a drug-trafficking ring police say
supplied 15 per cent of the ecstasy consumed in the U.S.

The ring's millions in profits were laundered by Ms. Le in Ottawa
through her company, MDN Currency Exchange, using money transfer
businesses she controlled, and then sent overseas.

Besides the money laundering and drug charges, Ms. Le pleaded guilty
to tax evasion. The three-count indictment states she failed to
declare $2,524,443 for the 2003 tax year, and thereby evaded payment
of $724,563.

Ms. Le will not be sentenced until she returns from the U.S., where
she faces drug and money laundering charges.

She is scheduled to appear in Superior Court on Sept. 7 at 9:30
a.m.

After yesterday's proceeding, Ms. Le was transferred to the
Ottawa-Carleton Detention Centre, where she will remain until
representatives from the U.S. marshal's office pick her up this week
and transfer her to Houston, Texas.

U.S. authorities have alleged ecstasy sale proceeds were laundered
through Ms. Le's currency exchange business, where they were converted
into cashiers' cheques made payable to legitimate companies.

The agreed statement of facts entered as evidence yesterday shows Ms.
Le was not only laundering money for a Toronto criminal organization,
but her services were also being used by other organizations in Canada
and the U.S.

"Using a series of trusted couriers and smuggling methods, Mai Le was
able to bring American currency into Canada," the document stated.
"Some of these methods included bodypacking the money, smuggling it in
vehicles or if travelling by airplane, then in carry-on luggage, and
secreting it in between pages of magazines mailed into the country."

When the money was exchanged into Canadian currency, it would be "sent
overseas to the benefit of the drug producer."