BUSTED POT RING HEADED BY KELOWNA MAN: RCMP

A B.C. man is accused of being the kingpin of a marijuana growing and
distribution operation that spread from Kelowna to St. John's, Nfld.

RCMP in Newfoundland announced yesterday that "Operation Batman" -- a
year-long cross-Canada investigation -- has busted the network that police
allege was run by Shane Jason Schindler, 35, of Kelowna.

"We're alleging that Schindler was our main target," RCMP Staff-Sgt. Greg
Smith told The Province yesterday from Newfoundland.

Police seized marijuana worth more than $3 million (50 kilograms in St.
John's and 1,844 mature plants in a large garage on a farm near 100 Mile
House).

Also seized were $50,000 in cash and several hundred thousand dollars in
assets -- including a front-end loader, two four-wheel-drive pickup trucks
and a large all-terrain vehicle -- in Tuesday's raids.

Ten B.C. residents and nine others were charged with various counts of
conspiracy, trafficking, possession for the purpose of trafficking and
possession of proceeds of crime.

Smith alleges the ring transported the dope mostly by train and supplied St.
John's and Happy Valley/Goose Bay.

"They'd take the train to Halifax and rent a car and drive to St. John's,"
said Smith.

"Typically, they'd carry 40 to 60 pounds down and take $150,000 in cash
back.

"We're alleging that they were dealing in about a million dollars a month
here in St John's, usually one or two shipments a month. They had a good
business going here."

Smith said B.C.-grown marijuana is now the drug of choice in Newfoundland.

"B.C. has taken over the weed trade in Canada," he said. "It used to be hash
was the big drug down here, but it's changed to B.C. bud in this last year
or so."

Police ran an intense investigation out of St. John's using up to 30
officers there as well as police in B.C. and Nova Scotia.

"We've had our whole drug section tied up with this for a year pretty much
full time," said Smith.

Most of those charged are in custody. The B.C. accused were scheduled to
arrive in Newfoundland last night.

Another B.C. resident, David William Coady, 36, of Peachland and originally
from Newfoundland, is allegedly the middleman who introduced the B.C.
dealers to the Newfoundland players.

Schindler is not in custody, but his lawyer told police he would turn
himself in today. Schindler is out on bail in another case, charged with
conspiracy to traffic and export marijuana into the U.S.

In that case three international drug rings were busted at once and more
than 20 people were arrested on both sides of the border. Officials
confiscated 250 kilograms of marijuana, 24,000 plants, and 35 kilograms of
cocaine in August 2001.