SUN ASKS COURT TO UNSEAL DOCUMENTS SUPPORTING RAIDS

The Resulting Charges Against Advanced Nutrients Were Stayed

The Vancouver Sun has asked the B.C. provincial court to unseal
documents the RCMP relied on to obtain search warrants for Advanced
Nutrients of Abbotsford and its owners in connection with cross-border
marijuana smuggling charges.

In an affidavit filed Friday to support its application, reporter Chad
Skelton states that drug charges laid in June 2001 against Michael
Straumietis, Eugene Yordanov and Robert Higgins were stayed in March
2003.

Skelton also said the information police used to justify the raids
that led to the charges was sealed by the court June 27, 2001, because
of the continuing investigation.

Skelton wants access to the material in part to determine why the
charges were dropped after an intensive and expensive six-month
investigation.

Rob Anderson, a lawyer for The Sun, explained that the newspaper hoped
the court would schedule a hearing in Vancouver by Friday to set aside
the sealing order.

"The sealing order on its face says it was put in place because there
was an ongoing police investigation -- I can only assume that no
longer has any application," he said.

"Matters filed in the court are presumptively available to the public
and are only not available when someone can demonstrate there is good
reason why they should not be available."

Given that the original charges were stayed more than a year ago,
Anderson said he believed that reason was no longer valid and the
documents should be available.

He said The Sun saw no reason to keep the information
secret.

At the same time, the newspaper believed there was a strong public
interest in opening the file.

"It should be available," Anderson said.