MILITARY VEHICLE RECORDS SCOURED FOR CLUES

Investigators are carefully combing through vehicle maintenance records to
see whether the reserve sergeant accused of trying to smuggle 100 kilograms
of marijuana into the United States may have done so before.

Capt. Bob Lanouette, of the National Investigative Services, said the
investigation is focussing on whether Sgt. Sten Sture Strom, 36, may have
used military vehicles in the past, perhaps for the same purpose. Strom, a
reservist from the local 12th Service Battalion, was among five Canadians
and two Americans who were arrested and charged Saturday in connection with
an alleged conspiracy to import about $1 million worth of marijuana through
the Pacific Highway border crossing.

Strom and his co-accused-Canadians Robert Laurin, Wesley Antholz, Brent
Rusnak and Yoshi Yamada, and Americans Roderick Brennan and Erin Harms-were
scheduled to appear in Seattle federal court on Thursday, after The
Review's deadline, for a bail hearing.

U.S. Customs special agent-in-charge Chuck McLeod said several factors will
be considered in determining whether to grant bail to the accused,
including whether they have strong ties to the community, are considered a
flight risk, and are able to come back to the United States.

American investigators are looking into whether this is the first time
Canadian military vehicles were used to smuggle dope. Several criminal
investigators in Blaine and Seattle are working on the case. In Canada,
both military and police officials are looking into the matter.

"We're trying to determine whether this has happened before," Lanouette
told The Review Wednesday morning. This appears to be the first time that a
Canadian military vehicle has been used to traffic narcotics.

Lanouette pointed out that a reservist can't simply grab a set of keys for
a military vehicle, jump in and drive it out of the parking lot at No. 4
Road and Alderbridge Way.

There is a set of procedures that needs to be followed, including a
requirement that a travel ticket or working ticket be obtained.

"It's all a controlled protocol," with checks and balances, he said.

Whenever a vehicle is used, a log book is maintained by the driver. Among
the facts recorded are the mileage reading on the vehicle's odometer. If a
vehicle is being used for non-permitted purposes, it may be possible to
look for anomalies or inconsistencies in the mileage readings.

Since the two vehicles that were seized by U.S. Customs officers could be
accessed by between 50 and 100 people who are qualified to drive them. The
two vehicles were a light truck used as an operations command-post and a
10-tonne vehicle used to tow military vehicles that have broken down.

In addition to facing charges under the Criminal Code of Canada, Strom is
also subject to charges under the National Defence Act.