TRAFFICKER LIVED HIGH LIFE

City's Biggest Cocaine Dealer Jetted To Exotic Locales around The World

A Winnipeg heavy-equipment operator lived the high life, jetting around the
world on dozens of exotic trips before becoming the biggest cocaine
trafficker ever caught by city police.

James Jenner's lavish lifestyle was on display in a Queen's Bench court
yesterday, including photographs he took of his expensive trips, as the
Crown argued he should spend the next 12 years in prison.

Such a sentence would set a new benchmark for drug cases in Manitoba. The
hearing will continue tomorrow.

Jenner was convicted of possession for the purpose of trafficking following
a trial earlier this year.

Police arrested Jenner in April 2002 and seized 17 kilograms of pure
cocaine, which carries an estimated street value of $2 million. Police
believe the drugs were just the tip of the iceberg for a man who quietly
shot to the top of the local drug scene.

"How many homes and businesses have to be broken into by drug users to
facilitate the James Jenners of the world so he can take his trips to
Whistler and the Caribbean?" Crown attorney Paul Jensen said yesterday in
court. "He has no difficulty making money at the expense of the community.
This a crime of moral turpitude committed by an immoral person."

Jenner, 42, has a previous criminal record for drugs and shouldn't be given
any mercy simply because he is married with a young son, the Crown argued
yesterday.

"It is very sad, but I hope that while Mr. Jenner is in prison that someone
isn't at his son's school trying to sell the boy crack cocaine," said Jensen.

The drug seizure was made by five members of the Rogue Crew, a specialized
police drug squad set up three years ago to go after high-level players in
the city's drug trade.

Undercover Winnipeg police officers staked out a home and storage facility,
waiting to pounce on what became the city's largest-ever cocaine seizure.

The Crown called upon members of the RCMP proceeds-of-crime unit yesterday
to describe Jenner's spending habits and assets during the past decade.
Among the revelations:

*Jenner took approximately 50 exotic vacations between 1993 and 1999. Some
of his destinations included Paris, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos, Milan, Las
Vegas, Barbados, New York, Cancun, New Orleans, Santa Domingo, Bahamas,
Atlantic City, Grand Cayman Islands, Negril and Walt Disney World.

*He purchased 27 Via Rail tickets for travel, mostly to Montreal, between
September 1997 and June 2001.

*Jenner purchased 10 Air Canada flights from Winnipeg between April 2000
and April 2002, mostly to Toronto and Montreal.

*Jenner owned a Harley Davidson motorcycle, which has now been seized by
police.

*He owned property in Salmon Arm, B.C. and a three-bedroom bungalow in
Niakwa Park, which included a swimming pool.

*Jenner purchased 40 casks of expensive single malt scotch whiskey from
Scotland, two Rolexes and several piece of pricey jewelry, including
diamond rings.

Police Det.-Sgt. Brent Benoit told court yesterday that Jenner would have
to be a proven veteran in the drug scene to be handling such a large
quantity of drugs.

"You'd have to be in the drug subculture for years. To buy at the
multi-kilo level takes a great amount of trust," he said.

Members of the Rogue Crew followed Jenner when he left his home in a white
SUV two years ago. Police were investigating his suspected involvement in a
large-scale drug operation. Jenner made several stops, including one at an
apartment block on River Avenue.

He went inside and came out a short time later carrying a grey duffel bag,
court was told.

Police suspected Jenner had made a significant drug pickup and continued to
follow him as he headed for the storage facility.

Once Jenner had left, investigators obtained a search warrant and were
stunned by the size of the drug haul.

Eight bricks of cocaine were stuffed inside the grey bag, including one
that still had its Colombian cartel factory seal on it.

Two other bags in the locker contained five and four bricks.

Police believe the drugs had been shipped to Winnipeg from British Columbia.

Immediately after the drug drop-off, Jenner went to the Winnipeg
International Airport and boarded a flight to Toronto with his wife.

Police obtained a warrant for his arrest, and Jenner returned from vacation
the following day to be arrested at the airport. Jenner was initially
denied bail and spent several weeks in custody before a higher court judge
agreed to his release on stringent conditions.

Before Jenner's arrest, the previous record seizure was 10 kilograms of
cocaine in 2001.

Defence lawyer Jay Prober argued during trial the case against his client
was entirely circumstantial and left more than a reasonable doubt.

But the judge said there was enough evidence that suggested Jenner had care
and control of the drugs.

Prober will make his sentencing submission tomorrow morning.