THREE CITY SOLDIERS IN DRUG STING

A retired former Canadian general is "disappointed" but not surprised after
three Edmonton-based soldiers were arrested following a four-month
undercover drug-trafficking sting. "It's regrettable (but) we don't recruit
choirboys and we train them to do nasty work," said retired major-general
Lewis MacKenzie.

"As happens in the police force, the military or, dare I say, even the
church, people get involved where there's a profit to be made. I'm
disappointed, but that's society."

The soldiers were busted Tuesday and Wednesday. Military prosecutors have
yet to lay charges.

All the arrests were made off garrison property by Edmonton cops, said
Capt. Mark Giles of the Canadian Forces National Investigation Service,
which began the sting in November after getting information about possible
trafficking.

"The Canadian Forces wants to send a clear message to the few members
engaged in drug activity that it's unacceptable, illegal and detrimental to
their duties," said Giles.

The arrests were made under Section 130 of the National Defence Act and
pursuant to Section 5(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act.

The NIS, which recently created a nationwide squad to conduct drug
investigations, said the arrests were made in connection with trafficking
in ecstasy, marijuana, cocaine and methamphetamine.

"The investigation continues in relation to a few others where there's drug
usage," said Giles.

Military prosecutors will decide whether to lay charges, he added. Charges
would be made public in two to three weeks.

Giles said drug use in the military isn't rampant.

"One case is one case too many," he said.

The last military drug bust was at Canadian Forces Gagetown, N.B., in 2003,
when two soldiers were busted.