POT SMUGGLING RING UNCOVERED

10 Arrested By Law Enforcement Agencies

MALONE, N. Y. - The investigation of a multi-million dollar marijuana
smuggling operation, uncovered by law enforcement agencies on both
sides of the border, led to the arrest of 10 people on state and
federal charges Thursday morning in an operation that officials said
"went like clock-work."

A St. Regis Mohawk Reservation business owner who police say used his
construction firm as a front for marijuana trafficking, as well as a
state police dispatcher who is believed to have supplied confidential
information to members of the network, were among those arrested
during the 6 a. m. round-up, which also led to the seizure of six
vehicles, five assault weapons, tens of thousands of dollars in U.S.
and Canadian currency and 60 pounds of marijuana.

"This operation went like clockwork today," said New York State Police
Bureau of Criminal Investigation Lieutenant Patrick Fonda during a
press conference Thursday afternoon held in the legislative chambers
of the Franklin County Courthouse.

During the 14 month long investigation, law enforcement agents saw
more than $4 million of high-grade marijuana grown year-round at
undisclosed locations in Canada trafficked through the St. Regis
Mohawk reservation to points south as far away as Florida,
Massachusetts and Syracuse, according to Franklin County district
Attorney Derek Champagne.

"Intelligence sources estimate other shipments had occurred prior to
the investigation and exceeded $10 million," he said.

Task force members who searched Mitchell's Construction and Sales,
Inc., located at 459 state Route 27 on the St. Regis Mohawk
Reservation turned up the assault weapons, currency and marijuana,
valued at $270,000, Champagne said.

The owner of the business and chief executive officer, Lawrence P.
Mitchell of Cornwall Island, was one of six individuals subsequently
arrested on federal conspiracy charges.

Roland Helgerson, a U.S. Treasury special agent with the Internal
Revenue Service's criminal investigation division, said financial
records and computer data were also seized from the business Thursday,
and further investigation may lead to charges against Mitchell
including violations of IRS code and money laundering.

Described as a "principal target," the business was the subject of
electronic and other "state of the art" surveillance during the
investigation, including round-the-clock attention in the three months
prior to Thursday's arrests.

A state police helicopter also recorded video footage of the property
as recent as this week.

Peter Dunbar of the U.S. Border Patrol said investigators believe the
network moved drugs over one primary route across Cornwall Island and
the St. Regis River to the Snye area of the St. Regis Mohawk
reservation.

"The drugs were brought into the U. S. and placed in other land
vehicles here and distributed all over the United States," said Bill
Hebert of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency. He said one pound of the
hydroponically grown marijuana the network dealt with could rake in
anywhere from $2,400 to $4,000.

"When you get 60 pounds it may not seem like a really large amount,"
he said. "But when you're doing this on a weekly basis it has a
significant impact not only on the local economy but across the U.S."

The investigation also led to the arrest of Jennifer L. Ryther-Niles,
28, of Moira at 8 a.m. Thursday.

A dispatcher at state police headquarters in Ray Brook, Niles was
charged with official misconduct and fourth-degree conspiracy for
allegedly supplying information to her husband, who was also arrested
Thursday, regarding state police roadblocks and other facts pertaining
to the investigation. After being arrested at the end of her shift on
Thursday at the trooper barracks, Niles was arraigned in Malone town
Court and committed to Franklin County Jail in lieu of $5,000 bail,
police said.

Others arrested include:

Lawrence P. Mitchell, of Cornwall Island, Ont., charged with federal
conspiracy.

Vincent C. Mitchell, of Hoganburg, charged with federal
conspiracy.

Scottie J. Niles, of Moira, charged with federal conspiracy.

James F. Wilson, of Bangor, charged with federal conspiracy.

James L. Robideau, of Brushton, charged with federal
conspiracy.

Dennis Lazore, of Cornwall Island, Ont., charged with federal
conspiracy.

Edward R. Noce Sr. of Syracuse, charged with first-degree criminal
possession of marijuana, a felony; and Steven C. Dantonello, of
Syracuse, charged with first-degree criminal possession of marijuana,
a felony.

The subjects facing federal charges were arraigned at 5 p.m.
Thursday.

Champagne credited the success of the operation to the seamless
cooperation of the 19 agencies involved.

He said the effectiveness of the law enforcement agencies involved
will likely lead to more success when it comes to crippling the
illegal drug trade in Northern New York.

Other agencies involved with the investigation include the U.S. Drug
enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement,
Federal Probation Office, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles,
Ontario Provincial Police Canadian Customs, U.S. Customs and Border
Protection, Malone Village Police Department, Saranac Lake Village
Police Department, Tupper Lake Village Police Department, Combined
Special Enforcement Unit of Cornwall, Ont., the Franklin County
District Attorney's office, U. S. Internal Revenue Service, U.S.
Border Patrol, Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Cornwall Police and
Canadian Department of Justice.