U.S. LOVES CANADIAN DRUGS

OTTAWA -- Canada is now the largest single supplier of pot, speed and
steroids to the United States, says a top customs official. American
authorities are making more seizures both at and south of the border, says
George Webb, head of counter-terrorism and counter-proliferation for the
Canadian Border Services Agency. At the same time, the flow of illegal
drugs to Canada from the U.S. appears to have stabilized, according to the
agency. Major drug busts at the Canadian border have been fairly consistent
since the mid-1990s.

Last year, there were 974 large seizures of drugs coming in to Canada, with
a total street value of about $269.7 million, the agency reports. That's
down marginally from the 1,063 seizures in 2003, when the value was pegged
at $600 million. There were 932 significant seizures in 2002 worth $292.8
million and 873 seizures in 2001 worth $865 million.