PEACE BRIDGE COCAINE SEIZURE NIAGARA'S LARGEST

Officers at the Peace Bridge are being commended by the Minister of
Public Safety after the largest-ever cocaine seizure in the
Niagara-Fort Erie area.

The minister, Peter Van Loan, said the seizure of 167 kilograms of
cocaine July 28 is part of the continued and ongoing successful fight
of Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers.

"Preventing approximately 167 kilograms of cocaine from reaching our
streets and our communities sends a strong message that this
government is serious about cracking down on guns, drugs and gangs," he said.

The drugs were discovered by CBSA officers after they referred a
23-year-old truck driver from Niagara Falls in for a secondary
examination. Officers found packages of cocaine in four suitcases and
one duffle bag during the offload examination. The contents tested
positive for cocaine after a narcotics identification kit had been
administered.

The truck driver was arrested and faces charges under the Controlled
Drugs and Substances Act, for importing and possessing a controlled
substance for the purpose of trafficking. The CBSA and RCMP
investigations are still ongoing.

This latest seizure, with an estimated street value of over $20
million, is the second time this summer CBSA officers at the Peace
Bridge have received praise from the minister. On June 27, officers
seized 20 kilos of cocaine, with a street value of over $2.7 million.
One day prior to this seizure, CBSA officers at the Rainbow Bridge
seized 6.6 kilos of cocaine worth an estimated street value of over $832,000.

"This significant cocaine seizure in the Niagara-Fort Erie Region can
be attributed the excellent work and on going attention given to
exams performed by our CBSA officers as well as the close working
relationship with the RCMP to impede the flow of drugs across the
border," said Jean D'Amelio Swyer, CBSA regional communications
manager. Van Loan said the government has invested $102 million to
help law enforcement over five years to combat the production and
distribution of illegal drugs as part of the National Anti-Drug
Strategy. Some of the strategies include introducing legislation to
increase penalties for gang and organized crime related violence and
drug trafficking, mandatory prison sentences for gun crimes,
expansion of programs preventing youth from joining gangs and
recruitment of new police and RCMP officers.

"This government recognizes that illegal drugs undermine the safety
of our communities and fuel organized crime," he said. "We will
continue to give our law enforcement the tools they need to be effective."