HASHISH HAUL EXPECTED TO GROW

Twelve people were charged Friday after hashish worth millions of
dollars was seized from a fishboat earlier this week on Vancouver Island.

Joel Hately was charged with conspiracy to import hashish, possession
of hashish for the purpose of trafficking and importing hashish. Also
charged are Kurt Patrick Guilbride, Richard Wade Farrington, Kenneth
Robert Thomson, Mirella D'Angelo, Robert Edward Nelsen, Daniel William
Berrigan, Ronald Patrick Thomson, Kenneth James Abt, Douglas William
Davidson, Steve Douglas Oczkowski and Wolfgang Benedict Fitznar, all
believed to be B.C. residents.

Hately's brother Sanford William Hately is the registered owner of
ship now under Canadian military escort after being intercepted
several hundred nautical miles off the west coast of Vancouver Island.

Police say they are "optimistic" more hashish will be found on the
Blue Dawn once it is in Vancouver. It is being escorted by a Canadian
navy destroyer.

Police have dismissed media reports that another 30 to 60 tonnes of
hashish are on board as "unfounded" but say the amount seized so far
cold have a street value of up to $430 million.

Sanford William Hately gave a Whistler post office box as his address,
according to Transport Canada records.

Sanford William Hately has not been charged in connection with the
seizure early Wednesday of 12 tonnes of hashish from the 18-metre
fishing vessel Ansare II which is docked in Fanny Bay on Vancouver
Island.

Attempts to reach Sanford William Hately on Friday failed. A relative
said he no longer lives in the Whistler area.

RCMP say the charges are the result of a 16-month investigation into a
well-financed drug ring.

The military surveillance included seven long-range planes, including
five Aurora CP-140 maritime patrol plans from CFB Comox and two others
brought in from CFB Greenwood in Nova Scotia.

The seizure was the result of a coordinated effort by the RCMP, the
department of national defence, Canada Customs, U.S. Customs, the U.S.
Drug Enforcement Administration, the Internal Revenue Service, the
U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service.

The RCMP says more charges are likely.

Despite the drama of seizing a huge hashish shipment, Simon Fraser
University criminologist Neil Boyd said it would make little impact on
the ability of traffickers to meet the demand of Central Canadian
hashish smokers. Stockpiles of drugs exist and the seizure is unlikely
to increase prices, Boyd said.

In 1979, about 13 tonnes of hashish were seized off the coast of
Vancouver Island.

The 12 tonnes of hashish seized Wednesday, if sold by the pound, would
be worth about $26 million. If broken down into grams and sold on the
street it could be worth $430 million.

Checked-by: Patrick Henry