POT-SMUGGLING RUNS UPSTREAM

Two Men Charged After High-Speed Chase For Running Drug Into
Canada

Bringing coals to Newcastle, selling ice to Eskimos and now
smuggling marijuana into British Columbia.

A reverse flow in the direction of B.C.'s notorious pot trade appears
to be behind Monday's arrest of two Surrey men who ran the border
coming back to Canada.

After an intense car chase by the U.S. Border Patrol, Whatcom country
sheriffs and RCMP, the pair were allegedly found in possession of 75
half-pound bags of marijuana -- drugs they're now charged with
attempting to traffic from Washington into North America's pot capital.

"It's definitely an odd case," said Surrey RCMP Cpl. Janice Armstrong.
"Marijuana is readily available in British Columbia. But if somebody
has an employer who is willing to pay them, there's no telling what
people will do."

The incident began at about 12:20 a.m. Monday, when U.S. Border Patrol
agents pulled over a blue Chevrolet pickup they spotted next to the
border in an area well known for smuggling. As agents approached the
vehicle, it sped away, heading toward the Peace Arch crossing.

The truck burst through a barrier at the border, Armstrong said. Shots
were fired and RCMP picked up the chase but ultimately called it off
because the truck was travelling dangerously fast. Tracked by Surrey
RCMP, the vehicle finally came to a stop at 134th Street and 96th
Avenue, and two men were arrested.

Jeff William Haugen, 20, of Surrey and Andris Michael Lawson, 21, of
no fixed address face a number of charges, including possession for
the purpose of trafficking, possession of a firearm, improper entry
into Canada and dangerous driving.

The truck is registered to an American, and U.S. authorities continue
to investigate, Armstrong said.