LIFESTYLES OF RICH & FAMOUS DRAW AIRPORT SCRUTINY

Canada Customs is sending drug-sniffing dogs aboard chartered team planes
and private jets at Pearson airport as part of an ``increased examination''
of sports and entertainment figures.

So far, at least five people - including two professional National
Basketball Association players - have been snared in the Pearson crackdown,
and three others, business people, have been warned about other customs
infractions. Late Wednesday, customs officers turned Miami Heat player
Rodney Buford over to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police after a dog
detected a small quantity of marijuana on a chartered jet bringing the
basketball team to Canada.

``We have been conducting random examinations of sports teams and
entertainment persons and any other persons arriving on private or charter
aircraft into Canada over the past few weeks,'' Canada Customs spokesperson
Mark Butler said yesterday in an interview.

While customs officers refused to discuss the latest incident, sources said
a Canada Customs drug detector dog initially detected the presence of
marijuana on the player - while he was still on the team's chartered jet -
after the plane arrived Wednesday at the private charter arrival area north
of Pearson's main terminals.

Butler wouldn't say whether the player was physically searched.

``This person wasn't arrested,'' RCMP Inspector Bill Matheson said. ``No
charges were laid.

``It was not a lot of marijuana, and common sense has to prevail with these
things,'' Matheson added. ``We're not treating him any differently than we
would any traveling public member.''

But a notation under the player's name on the Canada Customs computer
database means the player won't cross the Canadian border quite as freely
as before, Butler noted.

``Even though no charges were laid, Canada Customs would still have
recorded that person's name as somebody who came into Canada and was found
to be in possession of a narcotic,'' Butler said.

Despite the RCMP decision not to lay charges, Butler said the crackdown
will continue.

``We have taken a number of enforcement actions, including the one
(Wednesday) evening, because of this increased examination. These aircraft
are being examined to ensure compliance of our laws,'' he said.

``It shows, regardless of what your status is, whether you're arriving in a
private or commercial aircraft, Canada Customs will search everybody.''

Entertainment agents said yesterday they haven't seen signs of the
crackdown, but added they routinely warn performers that they're crossing
an international border and what this implies.

Miami Heat coach Pat Riley yesterday refused to discuss the incident.

``Rodney's not with the team, as you know,'' he said. ``We've been in touch
with the league, and we won't comment on it any further.''

Buford, a 6-foot-5 rookie, celebrated his 22nd birthday Tuesday. He was a
second-round pick for the Heat this past June and scored two points in
Heat's first regular-season game Tuesday night in Miami, in a 128-122
double overtime win over the Detroit Pistons.

Last May, while playing at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., he was
charged with possession of less than one ounce of marijuana, possession of
drug paraphernalia, speeding and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Buford pleaded no contest to the alcohol-related charges in an Omaha court
Sept. 1, and all other charges against him were dropped.

But his probationary order prohibits him from using alcohol or marijuana,
and Wednesday's incident will likely come to the attention of his Florida
probation officer, sources said.

About that incident, the Heat's Riley said: ``Rodney's a good kid, a
helluva a basketball player; we believe in Rodney.''

And, Riley stressed, Buford can expect help from the team.

``If, in fact, he stubbed his toe here a bit,'' Riley said, ``we'll help
him put a Band-Aid on it.''

Toronto's Raptors, which also travel on charters when the team hits the
road, must clear customs in much the same place the Heat did Wednesday.

They've never had anyone stopped or hauled in and, according to coach Butch
Carter, have a good relationship with Customs people.

``It's by no means a pain,'' he said. ``They come on the plane, they look
at our stuff; in fact, they try to make it convenient for us.''

The Raptors always make sure they have proper documentation for players,
Carter said.

``In our players' manual we make it clear you're travelling to a different
country,'' Carter noted. ``It's like those commercials about travelling to
Europe: There are different laws and you have to obey them.''

This season, the NBA began mandatory drug testing of players for marijuana.
Veteran players, who were tested at the start of training camp, can't be
tested again unless ordered to by an independent arbitrator. But all
rookies are tested four times during the season.