ARRESTS FOLLOW RAIDS ON HOMES

Peel police say they believe they have rounded up a group of cross-border
drug runners who were at the top of the insidious residential marijuana
growing operation in the GTA.

An eight-month joint forces investigation wrapped up yesterday with raids
at 12 homes in Brampton and Mississauga, and four in other cities,
according to the Peel police Morality Bureau. At least two of the raids
were in Brampton, while the majority were in Mississauga. At least two were
in the area of Derry and Mavis roads.

More than 20 people were arrested, and police seized a veritable fortune in
cash, diamonds and other jewelry, luxury cars and marijuana. Investigators
say they will release a list of those charged and the locations of the
seizures today.

The sophisticated ring of Vietnamese organized crime suspects had profits
and holdings in the millions of dollars, using snowmobiles, boats and
secret compartments in cars to smuggle 1,000 pounds of marijuana a month to
the United States through the Cornwall area, police say. They were
collecting marijuana grown in residential hydroponic labs, packaging it and
distributing it throughout the United States, according to police.

"I suspect a seizure of this magnitude would definitely have an impact on
drug trafficking in the Region of Peel and beyond," said Peel Sgt. Todd Moore.

Smuggled into U.S.

The joint forces investigation started in September and involved the RCMP's
Integrated Proceeds of Crime Unit, United States Customs, the DEA (Drug
Enforcement Agency), Canada Customs and the Montreal Urban Police.

It wrapped up with the raids and arrests yesterday. Included in the
seizures were close to $1 million in jewelry, including $100,000 in raw
diamonds, and $2 million in cash.

Police say they seized 700 pounds of marijuana during the course of the
investigation, dubbed Project Freightliner, and yesterday they seized
several luxury vehicles, including two Porsches and a Mercedes Benz.

Police said the accused were living in large, expensive homes and driving
expensive cars.

Several methods were used to smuggle the drugs over the border, including
snowmobiles and boats. Also, several vehicles were "professionally"
modified with hidden compartments to conceal large amounts of marijuana,
according to police.