POLICE MAKE HUGE HEROIN BUST

A huge international heroin import-export conspiracy scheme extending from
the jungles of the Golden Triangle in Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand into
Canada and south to the United States and Puerto Rico is being broken up by
police.

``This is, in terms of magnitude, the largest heroin importing scheme
alleged in Canadian history,'' Victoria Crown counsel Brian Jones said
Tuesday in an interview.

``I understand that 200 kilograms is the amount being mentioned.''

The case has led to charges against a Victoria man.

Putting a dollar value on heroin is difficult, because of varying grades and
methods of preparing heroin for street sale.

But 200 kilograms of the drug could be sold for millions of dollars.
Vancouver RCMP Cpl. Grant Learned declined to discuss the nature of the drug
probe, which is still going on. A news conference will be held in Vancouver
today at 1:30 p.m.

``It's a very large case,'' said Learned. He wouldn't confirm details of the
investigation.

Asked if 200 kilograms of heroin was actually imported into Canada, or
whether there was a conspiracy to do so, Jones declined comment. A
25-year-old Victoria man, Pei Tien Liu, also known as Barry Liu, was charged
with conspiracy to traffic heroin in Victoria and the Lower Mainland between
May 10, 1997, and Tuesday.

Liu was remanded in custody to Thursday in a brief first appearance before
Judge Tony Palmer in Victoria provincial court on Tuesday afternoon.

Liu is among 10 persons named in this charge. Three persons were arrested on
the Lower Mainland and will appear in Victoria provincial court on Thursday.

Eleven people are accused of conspiracy to import heroin into Canada in 1998
and 1999.

Another six are named in another conspiracy charge.

Nine persons are accused of conspiracy to export heroin from Canada into the
United States.

As well, there are charges of conspiracy to traffic and trafficking cocaine.

Jones said some of those named in the conspiracy to import charges are in
the Far East. He said one man has access to heroin refining factories in the
Golden Triangle and another runs an underground bank in Hong Kong.

Victoria police drug expert Sgt. Dave Mann, who was not directly involved in
the investigation, said the amount of heroin apparently involved in the case
would probably not make an overall dent in the local heroin market.

``It's hard to say because we don't know if the heroin was destined for the
Canadian or U.S. market.

``I feel it won't affect your overall problem in the local market.''

Mann said to be able to track any type of drug back from the distributor to
its originating source can be considered a success.

``Drugs are either predestined or prepaid. A seizure hurts people
financially and psychologically.''

As well, there are charges of conspiracy to traffic and trafficking cocaine.

Jones said some of those named in the conspiracy to import charges are in
the Far East. He said one man has access to heroin refining factories in the
Golden Triangle and another runs an underground bank in Hong Kong.

Victoria police drug expert Sgt. Dave Mann, who was not directly involved in
the investigation, said the amount of heroin apparently involved in the case
would probably not make an overall dent in the local heroin market.

``It's hard to say because we don't know if the heroin was destined for the
Canadian or U.S. market.

``I feel it won't affect your overall problem in the local market.''

Mann said to be able to track any type of drug back from the distributor to
its originating source can be considered a success.