DITCHED HELICOPTERS LINKED TO DRUGS

Man With A Bag Jumped Out And Said, 'Hey, You'Re Not My Ride'

The ditching of two Bell helicopters on the Penticton Indian reserve
is being investigated as evidence of high-volume drug
trafficking.

The helicopters, a Bell Jet Ranger modified to carry heavy cargo and a
Bell 47, were abandoned in isolated spots on the Penticton reserve,
where three men were shot dead in an apparent drug turf war last month.

The helicopters have been deliberately rendered unable to fly by
investigators.

RCMP Const. Alec Borden, of the Border Integrity Unit, said police are
treating the helicopters as "suspicious" and as potential evidence of
the "cross-border drug trade."

"Our investigative theory has been that B.C. bud (marijuana) is going
south in exchange for hard drugs and cash and we have certainly
interdicted those kind of shipments in the past," said Borden.

RCMP and Transport Canada are investigating "obviously suspicious
circumstances such as why the helicopters are there, who piloted them,
if they were used for criminal activity and who is the last registered
owner."

Penticton Chief Stewart Phillip said the band has seized the
helicopters which he says "were not only in trespass but also almost
certainly indicate high-level movement of drugs through our reserve."

"The Okanagan Nation chiefs have made it clear that we're committed to
stopping drug trafficking and to collaborate with police to combat the
drug trade. We need RCMP working with our tribal police to stamp out
drugs."

Phillip said band members will take "years to recover" from the Oct.
30 shooting deaths of Quincy Paul, 29, Robin Baptiste, 24, and Damien
Endreny, 20, who he said were innocent bystanders in a drug-turf war.

Dustin Paul, 24, cousin to two of the dead, faces three second-degree
murder charges and two of attempted murder.

The Penticton band put a 'notice of seizure' on both choppers beside
Transport Canada's 'notice of detention.'

Phillip said two woodcutters were in a remote area of the reserve on
Nov. 11 when "to their amazement they saw a helicopter landing nearby,
in a clearing chosen for its maximum concealment," clipping a few
trees as it landed.

"A man jumped out with a large duffel bag, ran over to them and then
said, 'Hey, you're not my ride,'" said Phillip.

The man disappeared in the direction of a nearby logging road and the
two band members called tribal police.

Tribal police arranged to meet RCMP and Transport Canada at the
helicopter last Friday, but investigators landed by accident at the
site of a second abandoned helicopter, the Bell 47, at a spot just
above the Bell Jet Ranger.

No one knows when the Bell 47 landed but "we were told both
helicopters were well-maintained," said Phillip.

The last owner of the Bell Jet Ranger, illegally modified to carry
heavy cargo, was Alpine Helicopters of Kelowna. It was sold last June
and no new owner has been registered, said Transport Canada spokesman
Rod Nelson.

The Bell 47 was sold by Coastland Helicopters of Richmond in October.
A new owner has three months to register.