U.S. CUSTOMS TARGETS DRUG USERS' STASHES

Tiny Quantities Can Bring Air Passengers Up To $5,000 Fines

Illegal narcotics valued at more than $140 million have been seized from
travellers entering Canada at Pearson International Airport this year, and
dozens of the smugglers have ended up behind bars.

But while Canada Customs officers and their drug-sniffing pooches target
traffickers, their U. S. counterparts at Pearson go after users.

Though people carrying small quantities of drugs are unlikely to be
criminally charged by U. S. authorities, getting caught with even one
marijuana joint will land the user a $500 (U.S.) fine, payable on the spot.

In the past year, at least 218 passengers headed for U. S. destinations
have been caught with drugs - mostly small amounts of marijuana and hashish
- - by Ross and Floyd, two drug-sniffing golden retrievers working
pre-clearance at Terminals 2 and 3.

Ross especially is known for pinpoint accuracy. The 5 1/2-year-old dog,
rescued from a Detroit pound, has made more than 400 seizures since he was
teamed with officer John Haynes in June, 1997, including $1.2 million in
heroin he found in El Paso, Texas.

Ross has caught more than 70 travellers since he and Haynes arrived at
Pearson 10 months ago.

Few passengers realize that getting nabbed with even a gram of pot can
result in a hefty fine and missing their flight while being questioned.

U. S. Customs has operated under a zero-tolerance rule since the 1980s, and
can levy fines up to $5,000 (U. S.).

If passengers are carrying larger amounts - or are suspected of
body-packing or swallowing drugs - Peel Region police or the Royal Canadian
Mounted Police are called.

But most just end up paying $500.

"We try to collect it on the spot, but some people have spent all of their
money, so we make them sign a promissory note before we allow them to board
a plane and leave Canada," said Diane Gie George, the officer formerly in
charge of U. S. Customs pre-clearance at Pearson, now in Detroit.

"I don't think we've ever prevented somebody from boarding, because most
pay something, with the easy access to ATM machines and credit cards,"
George said.

But there are lasting effects.

"We've had families heading for Disney World, and Junior has been caught
with a marijuana cigarette on him," George said. "We've also had the
reverse, where the parents are caught. Something like this can really
disrupt or ruin a vacation. It always amazes me that people are willing to
take a gamble they won't get caught."

More than $108,000 (U. S.) in fines had been levied as of Sept. 30.

"We find some Canadians take a little bit (of personal-use drugs) with them
if they're heading to the U. S., because they feel safer buying it in
Canada," George said.

"They watch TV and see Cops, and they feel they're going to get shot if
they try to buy drugs in the States."

Dealing with 200 U. S. flights and about 30,000 cross-border passengers a
day, Toronto is the fourth-busiest U. S. customs entry point, behind New
York, Los Angeles and Miami.