SENIOR SENTENCED FOR TOBACCO, POT

Tobacco Operation Largest Of Its Kind In The West

A southern Alberta man was fined $20,000 Wednesday for illegally
manufacturing tobacco in the largest operation of its kind in Western
Canada.

Gaylon Robert Nimz, 69, was also sentenced to 90 days in jail for
producing marijuana.

Nimz pleaded guilty in Lethbridge provincial court to one count of
unlawfully manufacturing tobacco under the Excise Act and one count of
producing a controlled substance under the Controlled Drugs and
Substances Act. Several other charges were withdrawn by the Crown.

"It's the largest tobacco offence of this sort in Western Canada,"
said Crown prosecutor David Price.

Court heard on Oct. 6, 2003 undercover investigators with the tobacco
enforcement branch of the Alberta Gaming and Liquor Commission went to
Nimz's Kirkcaldy home and purchased a tub of tobacco.

Two days later they returned with a search warrant and seized 675
kilograms of raw leaf tobacco, 216 bundles of dry leaf tobacco, 27
tubs of fine cut tobacco and 156 rolled cigarettes from the man's home
and other outbuildings on his property.

Officers also seized 126 marijuana plants, about 1.5 kilograms of
dried marijuana and growing paraphernalia.

Defence lawyer Michael Dietrich described his client as something of a
medical marijuana advocate and told court he and other family members
suffer from various health problems.

"His daughter almost died of cancer," said Dietrich, adding some of
the marijuana was intended to help her cope with the illness.

The fine and jail time was a joint submission by Crown and defence.
Nimz will serve his 90 days in jail intermittently on weekends and has
until September 2006 to pay the fine.

Dietrich said Nimz hopes to work off the hefty sum.

The tobacco, marijuana and growing equipment seized was forfeited to
the Crown.