POLICE ARREST 27 IN DRUG PROBE

Authorities Tracked $4M In Pot

HOGANSBURG, N. Y. - A 16-month long investigation into the smuggling
of high-grade marijuana into the U.S. through the St. Regis Mohawk
Reservation led to the arrest Thursday of 27 people, including a state
police dispatcher assigned to Troop B headquarters in Ray Brook.

The coordinated arrest, involving state, federal and provincial
authorities on both sides of the border, took place from Montreal to
Syracuse beginning at 6 a.m.

"The principal target in the U.S. investigation was Lawrence P.
Mitchell, an owner an chief executive officer of Mitchell's
Construction and Sales Inc., 459 Route 37, Hogansburg," according to a
statement released by the office of Franklin County District Attorney
Derek P. Champagne.

Mr. Mitchell, 33, was one of six people arrested on federal conspiracy
charges. He is allegedly the principal organizer in the smuggling of
high-grade hydroponically grown marijuana into the United States,
according to Capt. David J. Dennin, Ray Brook.

Investigators tracked more than $4 million worth of marijuana and
believe shipments worth more than $10 million took place before the
investigation began.

They would bring it into the U.S. and then distribute it here," Mr.
Dennin said.

The distribution pipeline began in Canada, flowed through the St.
Regis Mohawk Reservation and continued on to Syracuse, Massachusetts
and Florida, according to investigators.

Also arrested on federal conspiracy charges were Vincent C. Mitchell,
28, Hogansburg; James F. Wilson Jr. , 36, North Bangor, James L.
Robideau Jr., 46, Brushton; Dennis C. Lazore, 29, Cornwall Island,
Ontario, and Scottie J. Niles, 29, Moira.

Mr. Niles's wife, Jennifer L. Ryther-Niles, 28, was charge by state
police with official misconduct and fourth-degree conspiracy.

Employed at Troop B headquarters as a communications specialist, Mrs.
Niles allegedly shared confidential information she learned on the job
with her husband and others who were arrested Thursday, troopers said.
She was suspended without pay pending disciplinary action and was
committed to Franklin County jail, Malone, following arraignment in
Malone Town Court.

Also arrested on a state charge was Steven C. Dantonello, age not
available, of Syracuse, who was charged with first-degree criminal
possession of marijuana.

Two other people, whose names were not released, are still being
sought. One, a Syracuse resident, is to be charged with first-degree
criminal possession of marijuana. The other, from Montreal, is to be
charged with conspiracy.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration investigation that led to
Thursday's arrests began in February 2003 and peaked in April of this
year with constant surveillance of the supply network, according to
Mr. Champagne 's statement.

"The surveillance included video and other electronic and
state-of-the-art surveillance mechanisms," according to the statement.

Some, but not all, of a recent rash of drug seizures at road checks in
Franklin, St. Lawrence and Jefferson counties were a result of the
investigation, Capt. Dennin said. "There are other people up there
doing the same thing, other organizations," he said.

Thursday's drug raids on the U.S. side of the border resulted in the
seizure of 60 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated $270,000, $25,000
in U.S. currency, $7,600 in Canadian currency and six vehicles,
according to Mr. Champagne.

Canadian authorities arrested 19 people on drug-related charges,
including possession for the trafficking in controlled substances,
conspiracy to traffic in controlled substances and conspiracy to
export a controlled substance.

The Canadian arrests targeted four separate criminal organizations
involved in the smuggling of marijuana into the United States,
according to Lewis A. Mitchell, chief of the Akwesasne Mohawk Police
department.

Canadian authorities, operating as the Cornwall Combined Forces
Special Enforcement Unit, launched an investigation known as Project
Outstay in 2002. It was prompted by information from New York State
Police on the activities of a Canadian smuggling ring that was
exporting marijuana to Syracuse and New York City, according to Mr.
Mitchell. The Canadian investigation resulted in the identification of
three separate organizations that obtained marijuana in Quebec,
brought it to Cornwall and then smuggled it into the United States
through the reservation.

A paralleled investigation involving the Cornwall group and the Drug
Enforcement Administration uncovered and dismantled a fourth
organization involved in drug smuggling in the Plattsburgh area,
police said.

Arrested in Canada were the following:

Frank Roundpoint, 39. Cornwall

Kenneth Leaf, 38, and Jesse Thompson, 22, both of Cornwall
Island.

Giles Legare, 53, and Daniel Cryer, 44, both of Les Couteaux,
Quebec.

Donat Beaupre, 43, Riviere Beaudette, Quebec.

Tony Tsoklis, 44, Sue McClure,38, and Maurice Sarfaty,28, all of
Laval, Quebec.

Serge Boudreault, 36, Blainville, quebec.

Tep Kum, 30, Jesse Randisi, 28, Steve Zimmerman, 42, and Vilaysak
Keomany, 27, all of Montreal.

Marco Malovic, 37, Maitlan, Ontario

Ugo Lavoie, 27, St. Calixte, Quebec.

Eric Filiatrault, 26, St. Jerome, Quebec.

Dominique Romanesky, 26, Drummondville, Quebec.

Alex Bourgeois, 23, Notre Dame du Bon Conseil, Quebec.

Lawrence Mitchell and Scottie Niles are also to be charged in Canada,
according to Mr. Mitchell.

Those arrested in Canada ranged from gang leaders to suppliers,
runners and street-level drug pushers, according to police.

"These organized crime groups are exploiting the people and the unique
geographical location of the Akwesasne Territory to further their
criminal enterprises," Chief Mitchell said. "Organized crime groups
pose a serious threat to society, the economy and to the quality of
life in our communities."