DRUG RAID CHARGES DRAW CLOSER

Trafficking Report Expected Within Next Two Months

Charges could be laid within two months in the federal drug investigation
that is linked to police raids on the legislature, the prosecutor
overseeing the case said Friday.

Johannes Van Iperen said his office expects to receive a report on the
cocaine and marijuana trafficking investigation within the next four to
eight weeks.

Once that report is received, the Crown prosecutors will review it and
determine whether to approve charges.

Those charges could even come before June 3, when hearing of a media
application to unseal search warrants related to the Dec. 28 legislature
raids resumes before Associate Chief Justice Patrick Dohm in B.C. Supreme
Court.

"We certainly hope to be in a position -- if we haven't already done it --
to advise the court what we're going to do,'' Van Iperen said. "We should
have the report by then for sure. We're all working towards it. I am a
little hesitant to give a definite date because these things are not under
our control.''

Van Iperen said that timetable is subject to contingencies. The Crown may
decide that it needs more information from police after reviewing the
report, he said.

"There might be things that we want the police to review further,'' he
said. "It could be anything . . . These drug investigations tend to be
complicated.''

Dohm released a brief summary on Thursday of seven drug warrants related to
the legislature raids. Those confirmed that the police investigation was
focused on two groups of suspects involved in "bulk" trafficking.

The report from RCMP to the Crown prosecutors will include all evidence
that would have to be disclosed to defence counsel of those charged, Van
Iperen said. It is expected to include a recommendation for charges, which
would have to be approved by Crown and then laid by police.

Once charges are laid, the names of those charged will be made public.

The drug investigation is only part of the legal story behind the dramatic
Dec. 28 raids on the legislature. There is also a breach-of-trust
investigation which includes seven non-drug warrants.

That case is being handled by provincial special prosecutor Bill Berardino.

Berardino told Dohm Friday that another three to four weeks are required to
complete protocol around electronic material gathered. Then he will need
another month to review the material.

At the end of that period, Berardino said he should be in a position to
estimate when the investigation will be complete. "The decision will be
made as to whether or not charges will be laid after the investigation is
complete,'' Berardino said Friday.