Police Zero In On Drug Rings

A Vaughan man, accused of drug smuggling, is the third York Region
resident this month to be arrested by federal authorities.

Last week, the 10-month probe, called Project OFLYER, that included an
airport drug task force, police and border officers, culminated in
several arrests.

Police broke up a drug smuggling ring run by a criminal organization
that used Pearson International Airport to import cocaine into Canada
and arrested several people, including a 26-year-old Woodbridge resident.

The Woodbridge man was charged with criminal and drug offences, but
wouldn't clarify what role he played in the scheme.

A 39-year-old Brampton man was identified as the boss of the
organization, that used couriers, or 'mules', to move cocaine hidden
in toiletry bottles into Canada from South America.

"This project is an excellent example of how an integrated approach
among police agencies and Canada Border Services Agency can
effectively thwart organized crime's efforts to use our international
airports as a conduit for illegal drugs," Supt. Ron Allen of the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police Greater Toronto Drug Section said.

"Stopping the flow of illicit drugs as they enter Canada is an
important step in making our communities safer."

Along with the Vaughan man, residents of Toronto, Ajax, Cambridge,
Barrie and Mississauga ranging in age from 23 to 41 were also charged.

Canada is rarely the final destination for drugs brought into this
country by organized dope runners, lawyer Edward Prutschi said. He has
represented Americans, South Americans and Australians accused in
smuggling rings.

Often, criminals see Canada as a place from which to drive drugs into
the United States.

"There is no question demand is not drying up," Mr. Prutschi said.
"We've had very little success attacking the demand side."

Trumpeting investigative successes is one way to send a message to the
people pulling the strings that the authorities are making it more
difficult to recruit mules. It also sends a message to paid drug
carriers that there will be significant consequences connected if they
are caught, he added.

Prosecutions have been reasonably successful, he said, adding accused
often plead out or are found guilty.

Those arrested are often small-time drug pushers and drug users, Mr.
Prutschi said. The ring leaders are more difficult to track down.

"Often, those people are not even in Canada," he said.

There has been political action taken as well.

Amendments to the Customs Act will help combat airport smuggling and
security risks, federal Public Safety minister and York-Simcoe MP
Peter Van Loan said last month.

The changes allow officers to conduct searches within custom
controlled areas, including airport terminals. The objective, the
government says, is to combat organized crime and provide increased
security against terrorist activity.

"These changes provide the additional information, tools and
flexibility required to help identify threats and prevent criminal
activity, all while ensuring legitimate flow of goods and travellers
across our borders," Mr. Van Loan said.

Earlier this month, the RCMP announced the arrests of two Richmond
Hill men and a Toronto man which it identified as the "key players" in
a hashish and opium smuggling ring.

Greater Toronto RCMP drug officers worked with border officers and
ports enforcement teams in Halifax and Montreal for four months, which
investigators called Project ONEG.

In May, border officers in Halifax found 212 kilograms (about 467
pounds) of hashish hidden in a shipping container, according to
police. A probe lead to the seizure of 72 more kilograms (about 159
pounds) of hashish and 29 kilograms (about 64 pounds) of opium worth
more than $3 million, police said.

The group used sophisticated techniques to hide the drugs, which were
imported from the middle east through other countries into Canada,
police said. The group used legitimate importers in an attempt to mask
their identity, according to police.

Police said they found 15 handguns, 15 rifles and $200,000 during the
investigation.

"The success of this investigation is another step forward in our
fight against organized crime groups whose activities have a negative
effect on the heath and well-being of our communities," Supt. Allen
said.

Two Richmond Hill men, aged 48 and 43, and a 51-year-old Toronto man
are charged with criminal and drug offences for importing the drugs
into Canada.