COPS HAD 'TUNNEL VISION'

Spy says RCMP refused to believe suspect wasn't a criminal

RCMP had "tunnel vision" for one of two alleged Hells Angels accused
of methamphetamine trafficking, a police agent admitted yesterday.

Michael Plante, hired for $1 million to infiltrate the motorcycle
gang, testified that he told his police handlers that Nima Ghavami was
not involved in criminal activity.

"They seemed to suffer from tunnel vision," said Ghavami's lawyer Don
Morrison. "Would you agree with that?"

"Maybe a blind eye would be good," said Plante, 39. "Tunnel vision is
a good one."

Morrison said, "In the whole process, Ghavami is collateral damage. If
he's injured or arrested, it's too bad?"

Replied Plante: "I tried to keep him out of it, yes."

Plante met Ghavami, 23, at Vancouver's Cecil Hotel, where both men
worked. They became friends and worked out together.

In other testimony, Plante told B.C. Supreme Court Justice Victor
Curtis that the RCMP paid for perks to further the
investigation.

Plante was given a dinner before a CFL game, four tickets to the game
and six tickets for a Jerry Seinfeld concert.

Plante also got a travel advance for a 10-day trip to Medicine Hat in
December 2004.

Plante admitted that as an informant before becoming an agent, he
helped deal more than $500,000 in methamphetamines in just two months
while he was on bail for extortion.

He said the police were aware of the drug dealing.

Police did not breach his bail, Plante said under questioning from
Greg DelBigio, a lawyer for the second accused, Ronaldo Lising.

"You had a licence to commit crimes?" said DelBigio.

"Yes," replied Plante.

The drug-dealing involved "multi-kilograms" of drugs, with a pound of
meth selling for $12,000, he told the court.

In June 2004, Plante signed an agreement with RCMP to be paid up to $1
million to infiltrate the motorcycle gang.

Yesterday, he said that he was under pressure from the police to sign
a letter of acknowledgement.

"I didn't feel I had enough time to read it over and understand
it."

Under questioning from Morrison, Plante said police told him he could
commit no violence as a police agent.

"No criminal activity whatsoever without reporting to
them."

Plante has admitted to numerous assaults, including an assault on one
of the Hells Angels' targets.

DelBigio and Morrison are seeking to have the charges stayed on the
grounds that Plante committed unauthorized crimes.

The trial continues.