RCMP MAKES MAJOR DRUG SEIZURE

'Poor Man's Heroin' Suspected; Charges Pending Against Four
People

Surrey RCMP said Thursday they have made a large seizure of doda, a
little-known drug sometimes called "poor man's heroin" that is gaining
in popularity among South Asian communities in Canada.

Doda is a grayish powder containing opiates derived from crushed poppy
plant husks and pods.

"Hundreds of pounds of poppy pods and finished product along with
crushing and grinding equipment" were found in a "large,
industrial-scale milling and manufacturing operation in a very busy
shopping centre complex" in Surrey, police said.

Four people were taken into police custody at the scene and later
released.

Charges are pending following a lab test to confirm the presence of
drugs that are prohibited under the Controlled Drugs and Substances
Act, police said.

Known as "poor man's heroin" because it contains codeine and morphine,
police want to crack down on the drug, which is said to be popular
among cab drivers and truckers because it breaks up the monotony of
the work.

Doda is normally consumed with tea and among its side effects are
feelings of pleasure and calmness, followed by mood swings, body
aches, and loss of concentration. Police say it is believed to be addictive.

Doda is worth about $2,000 per kilogram and is typically bought in
small packages priced at about $20.