MARIJUANA SEIZURE TIED TO ASIAN CRIME RING

Nearly one tonne of marijuana has been seized from houses and warehouses in
B.C. and Ontario that are linked to an Asian organized crime ring,
Vancouver police said Wednesday.

The Organized Crime Agency of B.C. -- along with the Ontario Provincial
Police and the Vancouver police department -- executed 15 search warrants
Monday and seized nearly $4 million worth of marijuana that was likely
destined for the United States, Constable Anne Drennan said, speaking for
the agency.

Three weapons, including two semi-automatic pistols and one machine pistol,
were seized from a residence in Burnaby and $1.3 million was seized in
total from the 15 locations hit during the bust.

The drugs were being shipped by rail to Ontario, where drug-handlers find
it easier to get across the border with illegal substances, Drennan said.

Of the 15 warrants, 14 were executed in B.C. while one was executed in
Ontario. In B.C., police searched one warehouse in Richmond and 13
residences in Vancouver, Richmond, Burnaby and Surrey. Eight people were
arrested, including some that Drennan said are known to police.

All of the marijuana seized -- 1,550 pounds, or 705 kilograms -- was grown
at indoor grow operations around the Lower Mainland.

Drennan said that while the amount of drugs seized is significant, the more
substantial accomplishment is the interruption of an organized distribution
system.

"There is no question that this will make a dent [in the drug trade]," she
said. "Not just in terms of the amount of drugs that were seized --
although that too was fairly significant -- but what we've done is
interrupted a distribution process that was working extremely well for
these people."

Drennan said eight people face several serious charges, including firearms
offences.