B.C. TRUCKER BEHIND BARS AFTER POT BUST

VANCOUVER -- Another B.C. big-rig driver has landed in jail after U.S.
Customs seized one of its biggest marijuana hauls of the year.

Customs officers stopped a tractor-trailer driven by a Kamloops man at the
Sumas border crossing about 12:45 a.m. Thursday and X-rays showed more than
$5.5 million worth of high-grade B.C. bud hidden under tarps in a load of
fibreboard.

"This guy comes through on a double tractor-trailer and we're at alert
Level Orange right now, as you know, and because of that we are doing a lot
more inspections nationwide," said Cherise Miles of U.S. Customs.

"The VACIS (Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System) was operational and we
X-rayed the truck and what it showed was discrepancies within the load,"
said Miles.

"We took a closer look and examined the area and sure enough we found 48
large hockey bags containing marijuana."

Miles said the pot was carefully packed beneath the legitimate cargo.

"They looked in the bags and found the marijuana was packaged in
heat-sealed bags and within the bags were smaller Ziploc-type bags."

About 650 kilograms of pot was seized and the driver was arrested on
drug-smuggling charges.

James Simmonds, 42, appeared in Western District of Washington federal
court Friday.

The 2,800 sheets of fibreboard were destined for Tacoma, Wash.