ALERT CUSTOMS OFFICER AT DORVAL THWARTS HUGE DRUG SHIPMENT

MONTREAL -- Revenue Canada officials at Dorval airport have made the
largest seizure of the illicit party drug ecstasy in North America, thanks
to the instincts of a customs officer.

Forty-four thousand tablets of the drug were discovered by the officer
Sunday in two false-sided suitcases. They were carried by a passenger
arriving from Brussels via Paris.

"It was because of the custom official's watchfulness," Susan Cloutier, a
spokesman for Revenue Canada, said yesterday.

The ecstasy has an estimated street value of $1.7 million.

"It's the most important seizure so far in Canada and in North America,"
Ms. Cloutier said.

Elidhu Zalah, a 33-year-old Israeli citizen, was arrested for illegal
importation of drugs and possession of drugs for the purpose of
trafficking. He was turned over to the RCMP.

The ecstasy seizure, the first at Dorval, is the second-largest in the
world, Ms. Cloutier said.

The discovery of the drugs was not part of a targeted investigation.

"We don't know these people. It wasn't a tip we had," said Const. Michel
Fortin, a spokesman for the RCMP at Dorval airport. "The passenger came in,
they searched the luggage and they found the stuff in the bags."

As a result, the police have little information about Mr. Zalah, where the
drugs came from or whom they were intended for.

Const. Fortin said Mr. Zalah is likely part of a larger organized-crime
ring, but police don't know which one.

Ecstasy, a drug originally developed as an appetite suppressant, is a
hallucinogen and stimulant. It causes a rush of energy and heightened
perception.

"It's a relatively new drug. It's been around for maybe six or seven years.
I know it's popular with the kids," Const. Fortin said.

Several people have died after using the drug. It can cause compulsive
behaviour and trigger the release of a hormone that affects the kidneys.

Ecstasy is often sold or handed out free at raves, all-night dance parties
attended mostly by teenagers and young adults.

Last week at the UN drug summit, Solicitor General Andy Scott said Canada
has a serious drug problem, pointing to the growing availability of
synthetic drugs like ecstasy.

Copyright 1998 The Ottawa Citizen

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)