SOLDIERS ACCUSED OF TRAFFICKING

EDMONTON - Three Edmonton Garrison soldiers were arrested this week,
accused of drug dealing following a four-month undercover investigation
that involved off-base drug buys.

The three soldiers arrested on Tuesday and Wednesday are alleged to have
trafficked in ecstasy, marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine, a spokesman
for the Department of Defence's National Investigation Service said Thursday.

"We're not dealing with huge amounts," said Capt. Mark Giles.

Hundreds of Edmonton-based soldiers have served in both Bosnia and
Afghanistan over the past few years, but Giles said there is no evidence
any trafficking took place during overseas deployment.

The three were arrested by military police, with help from Edmonton police.
Their names won't be released for one or two weeks -- until they have been
charged by the Judge Advocate General's office, said Maj. Gilles Sansterre,
another spokesman with the National Investigation Service.

"Unlike in the civilian world, the file gets reviewed by a prosecutor
before charges are laid," Sansterre said.

"What is really important is that this is a small number of personnel and
we are getting to the root of it."

The National Investigation Service's new drug enforcement team is still
investigating other Edmonton soldiers for drug use.

"The interviews will continue to seek information related to any other drug
trafficking or drug use that may be out there," Giles said.

The arrested soldiers have been removed from any access to weapons or heavy
equipment, said Col. Tim Grant, commander of the Edmonton-based 1 Canadian
Mechanized Brigade Group. Whether they will be relieved of all duties or
confined is up to their commanding officer, Grant said.

"We cannot afford to mix any kind of drugs with the work we do."

The last arrests for drug trafficking in the Canadian Forces involved two
soldiers at Camp Gagetown in New Brunswick in June 2003, Giles said.