CUSTOMS OFFICER'S ARREST FOR POT SMUGGLING SHOCKS NEIGHBOURS

Neighbours are shocked that customs officer Altaf Merali, the local Block
Watch captain, has been charged with smuggling pot.

"He's a great guy," said a man who lives a few doors down from Merali on
150A Street in Surrey. "He had a barbecue for all the neighbours. He's the
Block Watch captain. He'd be out here walking at night making sure
everyone's home is OK."

Said another neighbour: "It's a real shock to us. He was one of the most
social ones here."

Merali, the father of a four-year-old son and a baby boy, was busted
Tuesday for allegedly transporting 100 kilograms of pot across the Pacific
Highway crossing.

Merali allegedly confessed, saying he did it because an Indo-Canadian gang
had threatened his family.

The arrest of a customs officer is rare and disturbing, said Steve
Pellerin-Fowlie of the Customs Excise Union, which represents more than
5,000 customs officers.

"I've only heard of two other cases over a period of decades," he said.
"When a law-enforcement officer is alleged or found guilty of violating the
laws they uphold -- that's disturbing. But I see no trends here."

Const. Randall Wong of the RCMP Integrated Border Enforcement Team said the
Mounties are not investigating Merali's allegation that a gang threatened
his family.

"There's a long time before you hit the border where you could've called in
the cavalry," said Wong. "Until something a little more substantial comes
up, we won't be following up."