CANADA LARGEST POT AND SPEED SUPPLIER TO U.S.

OTTAWA -- Canada is now the largest single supplier of pot, speed and
steroids to the United States, says a top customs official.

American authorities are making more seizures both at and south of the
border, says George Webb, head of counter-terrorism and
counter-proliferation for the Canadian Border Services Agency.

At the same time, the flow of illegal drugs to Canada from the U.S. appears
to have stabilized, according to the agency. Major drug busts at the
Canadian border have been fairly consistent since the mid-1990s.

"In the old days, the flow of drugs was northbound, coming out of the
United States," Webb said yesterday. "That . . . has changed.

"We are now their biggest drug supplier, whether it be B.C. bud,
methamphetamines or steroids."

Last year, there were 974 large seizures of drugs coming in to Canada, with
a total street value of about $269.7 million, the agency reports.

That's down marginally from the 1,063 seizures in 2003, when the value was
pegged at $600 million.

There were 932 significant seizures in 2002 worth $292.8 million and 873
seizures in 2001 worth $865 million.

Nearly 48 per cent of all drug seizures, large and small, were made through
the postal system; another 31 per cent were at land border points.

Proceeds of crime seizures have totalled more than $13 million in each of
the last two years.

Most were made in B.C. and Ontario.