DRUG PROBE LED TO MINISTERIAL OFFICES

Police investigating organized crime connections in the sale of B.C.
marijuana say they came across a trail of other crimes

Chad Skelton, Lori Culbert Jim Beatty and Kim Bolan Vancouver
Sun

What began 20 months ago as a joint RCMP-Victoria police investigation
into the sale of B.C. marijuana in the U.S. has ballooned into a
massive police probe that reaches into the highest ranks of the
provincial Liberal party.

While police remained tight-lipped Monday about what led to their
dramatic search Sunday of two offices at the B.C. legislature, details
are slowly beginning to emerge about an investigation that has already
involved some of the biggest names in provincial and federal politics,
including the husband of Deputy Premier Christy Clark, two top
political lobbyists, and the aides of two of B.C.'s most powerful
cabinet ministers.

But in a province accustomed to political scandal, RCMP spokesman
Sergeant John Ward was quick to point out Monday that no politicians
have been targeted in the investigation.

"I want to make this very clear: The search warrants that police
executed at the B.C. legislature did not involve any elected
provincial politicians in B.C.," he said.

"In fact, police have received excellent ongoing co-operation from the
B.C. solicitor-general's ministry and the minister [Rich Coleman] himself."

While some of those involved so far are well-known Liberal activists
at provincial and federal levels, Ward stressed the parties themselves
are not under investigation.

"No political parties are under investigation," he
said.

Ward said an investigation was launched by police in the spring of
2002 into the involvement of organized crime in the sale of B.C.-grown
marijuana in the U.S. in exchange for cocaine, which was then sold in
Canada.

But in the course of its investigation, Ward said, police came across
evidence of other crimes -- which led to Sunday's raid on the offices
of two ministerial assistants at the legislature.

"As a result of our drug investigation into organized crime, other
information came to light and another investigation was begun," Ward
said.

He refused to discuss the nature of the allegations, saying it could
compromise the investigation.

The two government offices targeted in Sunday's raids were those of
David Basi, ministerial assistant to Finance Minister Gary Collins,
and Bob Virk, ministerial assistant to Transportation Minister Judith
Reid.

In a statement released Monday, Basi said he is innocent of any
wrongdoing.

Basi and Virk were political appointees given their jobs by cabinet.
On Monday, cabinet fired Basi, citing a lack of confidence in him,
while Virk was suspended with pay.

Basi is a prominent organizer for provincial and federal Liberal
parties and is a well known supporter of Prime Minister Paul Martin.

The legislature was just one of several premises searched by the RCMP
and Victoria police during the weekend.

Also searched was the home office of Mark Marissen, husband of Deputy
Premier Clark, and Pilothouse Public Affairs Group, a private lobbying
firm doing business in Victoria and Vancouver.

Marissen confirmed Monday that police visited his home, where he
operates Burrard Communications, his personal business.

"They did not have a search warrant, but I let them in and talked with
them and basically cooperated with anything they wanted," he said.
"They basically told me that they believed I was an innocent recipient
of certain documents that could be evidence, and I gave them whatever
they asked for."

Marissen is a long-time backer of Martin.

Marissen said officers provided him with a written statement
indicating Burrard Communications was not implicated in the
investigation, but said they forbid him from revealing what documents
they seized.

Marissen, who was Martin's campaign chairman in B.C. and will now lead
the federal election campaign here, would not comment on the
ramifications to the federal Liberal party of key insiders being drawn
into the scandal.

He said only that the B.C. chapter of the party "has to figure out
what our next steps are."

While her husband talked to police Sunday, Clark said she has not been
questioned or interviewed.

Also raided over the weekend were the two offices of Pilothouse Public
Affairs Group.

Pilothouse's two directors are Brian Kieran and Erik
Bornman.

Kieran has an office in Victoria while Bornman works out of his home
in Vancouver.

According to Pilothouse's Web site, Bornman has more than "a decade of
political experience inside both the B.C. Liberal party and the
Liberal party of Canada."

Reached by phone Monday, Bornman said he was away on holidays and was
trying to return to his apartment in Vancouver's West End. He would
not comment on whether his apartment had been searched on Sunday.

"I've been made aware of the concerns that these circumstances have
raised. I don't fully understand all the issues, and at this time I am
simply trying to collect further information that I will be discussing
with our advisers," said Bornman, who worked as an aide for Martin
when the prime minister was finance minister.

Bornman is currently communications director for the B.C. chapter of
the federal Liberal party.

Kieran, a former Vancouver Sun reporter and Province columnist, said
he was still trying to get more information Monday but wouldn't
comment further. He read a statement that was almost identical to
Bornman's comments.

Other premises searched by police over the weekend include Basi's home
in Victoria, an accountant's office in Victoria, and a home office in
Vancouver.

Ward said the information that police presented to the courts to
obtain the search warrants has been sealed.

However, various media organizations, including The Vancouver Sun,
will appear in B.C. Supreme Court Friday to argue the information
should be made public.

While no arrests have been made in connection with the weekend raids,
Ward said nine people -- three in Toronto and six in Victoria and
Vancouver -- were arrested "about 10 days ago" in connection with the
sale of marijuana.

However, none has been charged or is in custody, Ward
said.

Victoria police chief Paul Battershill confirmed the drug
investigation is connected to the suspension with pay on Dec. 15 of
Victoria police Constable Ravinder Dosanjh.

Battershill said there is an "indirect relationship" between the
suspended officer and either Virk or Basi.

The drug probe is targeting a suspected influential Victoria
trafficker related to Dosanjh.

The alleged trafficker is also a relative of a Vancouver resident who
has worked on provincial and federal Liberal campaigns and was
involved in Martin's B.C. campaign.

Reached Monday at his vacation spot in Maui, Hawaii, Premier Gordon
Campbell said he is concerned about the investigation and the taint it
could have on his government.

"Obviously it's troubling to everyone," he said.

Campbell said no government decisions were influenced or compromised
in any way by the actions of Basi or Virk.

"I have not been informed of anything whatsoever that would compromise
any of the decisions of government," he said.

Campbell said he has every confidence in Collins and Reid and doesn't
believe they need to return to B.C. from their vacations, as NDP MLA
Jenny Kwan has demanded.

"If I thought it would serve any purpose, we'd be coming home, but I
don't see any purpose at this point," he said.

Coleman said he didn't think the raid would damage his consistent
message about getting tough on crime.

"I think the opposite," he said. "It clearly tells the people of this
province that we will not allow any area of our government or our
province to be compromised by organized crime."

While police released few details Monday about the exact nature of
their investigation, Ward said organized crime is a growing problem in
the province -- reaching into every segment of society.

"Organized crime is a cancer eating away at the social and moral
fabric of British Columbia," he said. "Illegal drug activity by
organized crime in British Columbia has reached critical mass. The
result is that today we have murders, beatings, extortion and gang
warfare at a level never before seen in this province. And it's going
to get worse before it gets better."

Ward noted that the province's marijuana industry alone is estimated
to be worth about $6 billion a year.

"It shouldn't surprise anyone that many people are susceptible to
being corrupted and that's one of the reasons why the RCMP has made
organized crime one of its top priorities," he said.

About 20 officers -- including uniformed members of the Victoria
police and plainclothes RCMP -- were involved in Sunday's search of
the legislature.

The officers took several hours to search the large offices of Collins
and Reid and the smaller offices of their staff, before emerging with
about 30 cardboard boxes that were taken away in a white van.

Vancouver lawyer William Berardino has been appointed an independent
special prosecutor in the case, a common procedure when criminal
investigations may involve politicians.

In a statement from Basi Monday prepared by Victoria lawyer Chris
Considine, Basi declared his innocence.

"Mr. Dave (Udhe) Basi stated today that he has done nothing wrong,"
the statement said. "He was specifically told by the RCMP yesterday
that he was not being arrested or charged at this time. He is
confident that he will be completely exonerated at the end of the process."

Battershill said the investigation is likely to take
months.

"We're in for a lengthy investigation," he said. "It will take several
months to develop before the entire file is presented to the special
prosecutor."