COKE-RING LEADER BUSTED

Desfosses, who has ties to organized crime, among 25 facing drug
charges in court today

Authorities continued yesterday to crack down on international cocaine
traffickers who import the drug into Canada, busting a coke ring and
arresting the man they allege was its leader.

Raymond Desfosses, 53, is to appear in a Montreal courtroom today.

Desfosses has extensive ties to organized crime, in particular
Montreal's notorious West End Gang. He was right-hand man to former
gang boss Allan (The Weasel) Ross and has spent time in prison in both
Canada and the United States.

At least 25 others are to appear in court today on charges related to
the importation of cocaine, said Cpl. Patrice Gelinas, a spokesperson
for the RCMP.

The joint investigative task force, which includes the RCMP, the
Surete du Quebec, Montreal police and other forces, were hunting for
as many as 30 people.

"These searches are part of the investigation that started in 2002,"
Gelinas said.

"Project Calvette is still ongoing. Whenever we do a roundup like
(yesterday), it's rarely the end."

The RCMP remained mum on the details of yesterday's operation. More
than 300 police officers were involved in the drug seizures, which
took place in Montreal, Quebec City, Matane, Trois Rivieres, Ste. Anne
de la Perade, Sept Iles and Timmins, Ont.

The seizures are linked to a bust Aug. 10 of four Quebecers who were
found with 750 kilograms of cocaine in their sailboat. The drug had an
estimated street value of about $200 million.

The U.S. Coast Guard arrested two men and two women from Ste. Anne de
la Perade after boarding the vessel to rescue the passengers in bad
weather.

The RCMP is to release more details about the bust today.