TORONTO COPS SEIZE RECORD AMOUNT OF ECSTASY

A simple traffic violation in Toronto has led to the largest bust of ecstasy
in Canadian history.

Altogether, police have confiscated 161 kilograms of powder MDMA (the
chemical name for the drug), and 42 kilograms of liquid MDMA.

That is enough to make manufacture more than 4 million single doses, with an
estimated street value of $50 million. In 2003, Toronto police seized 16
kilograms of ecstasy in total.

Ecstasy retails for between $25 and $40 in Toronto.

"I just wanted to highlight the action of one junior and fairly
inexperienced police officer," said Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino.

Constable John Linney, who has been with the force for three years, stopped
a van with expired license plates last Friday. In the van, he discovered a
large stash of powder MDMA.

Arrested were Kai Wing Tang, 26, and Wai Chung Ng, 25. Their arrest then led
police to a storage facility where police discovered the stash of ecstasy,
along with 177 grams of heroin and $6,000 in cash.

"This was flying under our radar," said Toronto Police staff inspector Dan
Hayes. "If not brave action of constable Linney, this could have gone on for
god knows how long."

Haynes said the drugs were indicative of a much larger criminal
organization, which police are now hunting down, but he didn't say if Tang
or NG are cooperating.

A synthetic amphetamine, Ecstasy is often referred to as "E" or "X." While
providing a feeling euphoria, the drug causes the human body to heat up
unnaturally. Numerous deaths caused by dehydration and over-heating have
been linked to use of the drug.

"Considering the quantity involved, I am certain dozens of lives have been
saved," said Haynes.