$95-MILLION DRUG BUST

Police say a two-year operation that led to a $95-million drug bust and
arrests in three provinces started in Hamilton. Authorities seized illegal
drugs in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia in one of the largest busts in
recent history. The bulk was seized in Southern Ontario -- about 268
kilograms of cocaine, and much smaller amounts of hashish and marijuana.

The cocaine, stored in plastic bags, blanketed two long tables at the RCMP
office on Main Street East and was heavily guarded by armed officers. There
was so much cocaine that several fans couldn't mask the odour.

The RCMP have arrested at least 17 people in Ontario, including Andre
Gravelle of Ancaster and his brother Paul of Lynden.

Both have histories of drug convictions.

Police said yesterday they have arrested at least six people from the
Hamilton area and have a warrant for another. Charges range from possession
and trafficking to conspiracy to import narcotics.

The RCMP said the arrests have dealt a major blow to organized crime in
Canada. They claim to have dismantled four major crime networks in
Hamilton, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax.

"We know who they are," said Staff Sergeant Kevin Payne of the RCMP
Hamilton Drug Section. "Now, others who may have thought about co-operating
with (the networks) will have to think twice because police will be watching."

Operation Olco started two years ago when the drug section of the Hamilton
RCMP was told that individuals at the port of Halifax were offering
criminal networks access to the docks for drug smuggling purposes, Payne
said. Drugs had allegedly come from Panama, Chile, Colombia and the
Caribbean into the port and was then distributed across Canada.

The Hamilton drug section relayed its information to the RCMP in Halifax,
and the two units co-operated on the investigation. As the investigation
grew, other RCMP units, Canada Customs and municipal police services were
involved.

"It was like a spiderweb," Payne said. "It just spread. Now that we made
(the bust), a lot of people are calling us and saying we did a good job.
But the co-operation was tremendous."

The operation's climax came this week when police conducted simultaneous
early morning raids in the three provinces. Among those arrested in
Montreal is Steven Bertrand, who has ties to the Hells Angels Nomad biker
chapter in Montreal and its leader Maurice "Mom" Boucher.

RCMP Inspector Linda Martell said there is a Hells Angels' connection in
southern Ontario, but would not elaborate because of a continuing
investigation and a sweeping publication ban. RCMP would provide no details
about when or where the ban was imposed. Publication bans are imposed by
judges hearing trials. Generally, they are meant to ensure an accused
person has a fair trial by keeping certain inflammatory evidence out of the
public domain.

Andre Gravelle, 38, and Paul Gravelle, 55, of Hamilton were arrested in a
pre-dawn raid Tuesday morning. The brothers were convicted a decade ago in
an international police operation for smuggling a marijuana derivative from
the Caribbean into the United States.

As part of Operation Olco, police have also seized about $4 million in
assets or proceeds of crime in Ontario including jewelry, expensive cars,
motor homes and gold bars. RCMP Cpl. Michele Paradis said none of Andre
Gravelle's or Paul Gravelle's assets have been seized.

Another $4.27 million in assets was seized in Quebec and Nova Scotia, along
with more than $200,000 in cash.

Yesterday's announced arrests included 72-year-old Michael Zaduk of Guelph,
who survived a vicious home invasion last March.

Many details regarding the investigation remain under wraps because of the
publication ban.

Police would not disclose where most of the Ontario's drugs were seized, or
if other gangs besides the Hells Angels were involved.

They wouldn't say how much of the drugs was intended for Hamilton's streets.

But of the 3,700 marijuana plants seized -- $3.7 million street value --
many were from grow operations in the Hamilton area, Payne said. Many of
those cases were passed onto Hamilton police, which also played a role in
the RCMP operation. The two drug departments share information every day,
said Superintendent Ken Leendertse, who stressed the city's drug problem is
not out of control.

"It's not like Hamilton is drug-infested," Leendertse said. Leendertse said
local police are focusing on the lower levels of the drug network, or those
who work on the street.

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AT A GLANCE

What: Canada's biggest drug bust

Name: Project Olco

How many arrested: About 30 by yesterday afternoon with about 10 more still
sought by police in Nova Scotia, Quebec and Ontario.

Seized: 317 kilograms of cocaine; 428 kilograms of hashish; 676 kilograms
of marijuana; 159 kilograms of hash oil; 3,700 marijuana plants; $8.48
million worth of cars, trucks, jewellery, furniture, bank accounts and
cash. The drug value was estimated by police to be $95 million.