CHOPPERS ATTRACTING ATTENTION

PENTICTON -- A pair of helicopters abandoned on the Penticton Indian
Band reserve are attracting a fair amount of attention, but not all of
it through official channels. On Sunday, while showing one of the
helicopters to a television camera crew, Penticton Indian Band chief
Stewart Phillip says someone drove up and was scared off by the sight
of band officials, tribal police officers and members of the media on
scene. Phillip said Monday while he was giving an interview members of
the tribal police force heard a vehicle slowly enter the area

"They began to focus their attention on the access road, and they
heard it coming really slowly," said Phillip. "It must have come to a
point where whoever it was saw the vehicles (near the helicopter) and
left." Tribal police pursued the vehicle, but were unable to catch up
to it or get a licence plate number. Phillip said there were clear
marks on the road where the vehicle turned around in a hurry

The incident underscores the need for more resources, said Phillip,
not only in battling the drug trade on the reserve but in securing the
helicopters themselves

The two helicopters were abandoned Nov. 11 in a remote area of the
northern portion of the reserve. A pilot was seen leaving one
helicopter carrying a duffel bag; the second helicopter was discovered
while police were en route to the first

Phillip believes the helicopters are both linked to the drug trade.
Nobody has come forward to claim either of the helicopters and neither
had up-to-date registrations with Transport Canada. Legal counsel
working on behalf of the band will be in discussions today with
Transport Canada to get the aircraft moved to a more secure location.
Both the band and Transport Canada are attempting to seize the
helicopters, a legal move which Phillip said is "uncharted territory."