BUSINESSMAN ACQUITTED OF TRAFFICKING IN $1.6-MILLION MARIJUANA SMUGGLING SCHEME

KAMLOOPS - A businessman accused of being the mastermind in a
$1.6-million drug smuggling scheme was acquitted after a judge ruled
the Crown didn't have sufficient evidence.

B.C. Supreme Court Justice Carol Ross found Gary Gray not guilty of
drug trafficking charges, saying while the evidence raised by the
federal Crown raises suspicions, it was not enough to find the man
guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Gray was charged with possession of marijuana for the purpose of
trafficking after an RCMP raid on a business in April 2004 netted
more than 370 kilograms of marijuana, stashed inside hollowed-out
stacks of plywood.

Three others were also charged, but the Crown stayed those charges in
exchange for testimony against Gray.

The chief witness, Gray's brother-in-law Reggie Pain, testified Gray
came to him with the plan, made all the arrangements and got all the
needed equipment.

Gray testified that he believed he was doing his brother-in-law a
favour and presented documents, including paperwork apparently signed by Pain.

"Mr. Pain's demeanour was not that of an honest witness," the judge said.