DRUG RING SMASHED:

Six Arrested; Assets Seized In Barbados

Six Calgarians are in custody after an international money laundering and
drug smuggling investigation which this week saw officers seize three
vehicles, two homes and assets in Canada and Barbados.

The six-month probe, dubbed Operation Iliad by officers, marked the
inaugural arrests for the province's Integrated Response to Organized Crime
(IROC) team and its partner, the Integrated Proceeds of Crime team.

The teams' mandate is to investigate, disrupt and dismantle organized crime
groups operating in Alberta.

On Wednesday, the teams swooped down on three homes -- including a
residence in the [address snipped] -- and an undisclosed storage locker.

Inside the locker was a safe stuffed with $125,000 cash.

About $60,000 in cocaine, $4,480 of methamphetamine and $8,000, or 800
tabs, of the powerful club drug ecstasy were also confiscated during the
raids, said IROC south team commander Staff Sgt. Barry Balerud.

Balerud would not specify where the drugs came from, revealing only that
they were destined for Calgary streets.

Police in Barbados are helping Canadian authorities with property alleged
to have been bought by the Calgarians with money they made off of
trafficking illegal narcotics.

Three cars, a 1996 BMW, an older-model Nissan Pathfinder and a new Nissan
Xterra, have been seized by police under proceeds-of-crime legislation.

The operation included officers from the Calgary Police Service, RCMP and
members of the Criminal Intelligence Service Alberta.

"This is a clear demonstration that an integrated enforcement team does
work," said acting Insp. Al Sauve, adding IROC has only been operational
since February of this year. "This is the first (set of arrests) in what we
hope is many."

[name snipped], 31, and [name snipped], 36, are charged with conspiracy to
traffic in a controlled substance, trafficking in a controlled substance
and possession of property obtained by crime.

[name snipped], 36, faces charges of conspiracy to traffic in a controlled
substance and trafficking in a controlled substance.

[name snipped], 30, and [name snipped], 30, are charged with trafficking in
a controlled substance.

[name snipped], 32, faces a charge of possession of a controlled substance
for the purpose of trafficking.

Balerud said more arrests are anticipated.