PEARSON WORKERS IMPORTED DRUGS: COPS

Gang 'taken down' In troubled area, fear anger and fresh hope
Toronto's rats are running Silence isn't golden

An alleged Pearson airport crime cell targeted in the Driftwood Crips
roundup yesterday was under police surveillance for 18 months as
attempts were made to smuggle cocaine and marijuana into Canada, police say.

RCMP Insp. Steve Martin said 30 kilos of cocaine and 25 kilos of
marijuana, worth about $5 million total, were seized during the
multi-agency undercover probe.

Five of the suspects arrested yesterday were security-cleared ground
handlers at Pearson and another was a former employee. Their jobs
included the loading and unloading of bags and cargo on flights.

"This is a good day for public safety," Martin said. "We realized
people here were abusing their position at the airport by smuggling
contraband."

Metal Containers

He described the workings of the Crips as "that of a multi-national
corporation."

Police said the drugs were smuggled here in metal containers that
carry luggage on airlines. The units are unloaded and stashed aside,
and workers later remove the drugs inside the hollowed metal and
smuggle it out of the airport, police said.

The drugs are destined to the Driftwood Crips, police
alleged.

"The simplicity of this smuggling attempt was ingenious," Martin said.
"They are not going to do this again."

Police said the men worked for various ground handling companies at
Pearson.

"Many of our officers had placed their personal lives on hold to work
on this case," Martin said. "Their commitment was unbelievable."

Scott Armstrong, of the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, said the
security passes of the suspects have been revoked and they've been
banned from the airport.