CUSTOMS AGENT'S LEAVE OF ABSENCE A DOWNER FOR DRUG SMUGGLERS

Woman Allegedly Helped Dealers Import Cocaine

When a customs agent who was allegedly helping drug smugglers took a
leave of absence from her job at Trudeau Airport, it caused headaches
for two drug dealers planning to ship kilos of cocaine from Venezuela
into Montreal, a Quebec Court judge was told yesterday.

As the trial of Nancy Cedeno entered its second week, Judge Claude
Millette heard that by February 2006, the customs agent had become a
valuable resource for Omar Riahi, 33, of St. Leonard, who acted as a
middleman between her and a drug trafficker.

Evidence presented earlier in the trial suggested that in 2005,
Cedeno, 34, supplied Riahi with stamped customs declaration forms that
allowed drug couriers to step off a flight from the Caribbean, pick up
a suitcase packed with cocaine at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International
Airport and leave without being searched.

But in December 2005, Cedeno took a leave of absence to be treated for
depression.

While she was on leave, the Montreal-based drug trafficker, who has
yet to be tried, asked a Venezuelan drug dealer known only as Oscar to
hold on to several kilograms of cocaine for him. Their plan was to
send women to bring back suitcases carrying up to 30 kilograms of
cocaine each, but Oscar was growing impatient.

During one conversation, the Montreal-based drug trafficker told Oscar
he was not ready to send the women because he didn't have "invitation
cards."

One of the women was Julie Chateauneuf-Fleury, 27, a co-accused in
Cedeno's trial.

Yesterday, Chateauneuf-Fleury pleaded guilty to conspiring to import
cocaine into Canada but refused to plead guilty to doing so for a
criminal organization and is still part of the trial which continues
today.

In February 2006, Riahi made a series of phone calls to Cedeno,
inquiring about her health and trying to find out when she might
return to work.

"Any chance you're going back soon?" Riahi asked during one
conversation.

"No," Cedeno replied.

"You understand why (I'm asking)?" Riahi said.

"Yeah," said Cedeno sounding annoyed.

Riahi pleaded guilty to conspiring to import cocaine, corrupting
Cedeno and to committing both crimes for a criminal organization.