MANITOBA KEY LINK IN CRYSTAL METH OPERATION

OPERATION Diversion started off with a bang in September 2004, with
20,000 pounds of ephedrine seized and 10 Manitobans charged with
numerous drug offences in the alleged smuggling network.

This week, one of the men charged, 44-year-old Emmanuel (Manny)
Barbagianis, was found gunned down in a West End alley.

Barbagianis was still facing two charges of conspiracy to produce
crystal methamphetamine, but two months ago, seven other people
charged with similar charges had them stayed by federal prosecutors.

Back in September 2004, more than 250 police conducted 34 raids
across Canada and the United States as part of a massive crackdown on
alleged drug smugglers.

Police said Manitoba was a key link in the alleged multi-million
dollar pipeline that funneled huge amounts of ephedrine -- the main
ingredient for crystal meth -- to drug markets on the West Coast and the U.S.

Among those was a man, originally charged with three counts of
conspiracy to produce methamphetamine, conspiracy to export ephedrine
and export of ephedrine. He's the son of Rodger Bruneau, portrayed by
police as the ringleader in the alleged smuggling scheme, who died last year.

The Crown also stayed a similar charge against a 36 year old man, who
had been charged with conspiracy to produce methamphetamine.

The 36 year old, is one of three Winnipeg men charged in June with
eight counts each of first-degree murder in connection to a so-called
internal cleansing of the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang in Ontario.
He is in custody in Ontario.

Several suspects continue to face charges, including former Winnipeg
Blue Bomber and boxing promoter Eddie Blake.

During the 2004 raids, 20,000 pounds (more than 9,000 kilograms) of
ephedrine were seized -- worth an estimated $14.5 million if
converted into methamphetamine -- along with $3.5 million in cash,
mostly in 100s, 50s and 20s, in the cross-Canada raids. Two handguns
were seized in Winnipeg and two submachine guns were seized in B.C.

Police alleged the ring smuggled enough ephedrine into the U.S. to
produce an estimated $100 million worth of methamphetamine in
clandestine drug labs a year.

Investigators intercepted more than 70,000 phone calls during the
seven-month undercover investigation.