CANADA TOPS SALES TO U.S. IN POT, SPEED

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 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.

"In the old days, the flow of drugs was northbound, coming out of the
United States," Webb said yesterday. "We are now their biggest drug
supplier, whether it be B.C. bud, methamphetamines or steroids."

974 Large Seizures

One American seizure last year yielded the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency
more than $500 million worth of methamphetamines.

Last year, there were 974 large seizures of drugs coming into 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.

Shipments of processed ecstasy into Canada have fallen off in the past year
or two, Webb said, while criminals have begun importing raw materials and
processing the drug in-country.