OPP COP HERE FACES TRAFFICKING CHARGES

PRESCOTT -- An 18-month probe into the drug and contraband cigarette
trade in this community has led to several charges against a
Grenville County OPP officer.

Maurice Morrissette, 37, a resident of Kemptville, was arrested
Thursday on charges of trafficking in an illegal substance,
possession of an illegal substance and obstructing justice.

A former member of the Prescott municipal police service, Morrissette
was sworn into the OPP in September 2004 after the provincial force
took over policing in the town.

Sergeant Kristine Rae said none of the charges laid against
Morrissette on Thursday involve contraband cigarettes.

That's still an ongoing investigation, said Rae, who directed further
questions on the contraband cigarette probe to the RCMP.

Corporal Nancy Mason of the RCMP's Kingston detachment said this
morning the OPP and federal force teamed up on the investigation in
the fall of 2005 after being "inundated" with complaints as far back as 2004.

Over time, she said the investigation has uncovered what she
described as a "quite significant" operation involving the sale of
"hundreds of cases" of illegal smokes.

"There are numerous other arrests pending," said Mason, indicating
those charges will happen in the near future.

Mason said the investigation centres on cigarettes being sold by
individuals from their homes.

She said the high price of tobacco products due to taxes is
motivating people to buy the illegal cigarettes.

"People are looking at saving some money," she said.

According to Mason, the Brockville and Prescott area is a busy
transit zone for the shipment of illegal cigarettes between Cornwall
and the Toronto area.

The cigarettes are manufactured in Canada near Cornwall and
distributed throughout the region on their way to Toronto.

"We are inundated with reports. We don't even have the resources to
go and take off every load that is reported to us," said Mason.

Rae noted the allegations against Morrissette do not pertain to any
activity that happened while he was on duty.

"Obviously it's very discouraging," said Rae, reacting to the charges
against an OPP officer. "But criminal acts will not be tolerated and
will be dealt with."

Mason agreed the arrest of a fellow officer was "disheartening."

"It was important to us to sort of restore the integrity of our
organization, of our brotherhood," said Mason, adding, "There are
hardworking wonderful policemen that serve in the Prescott and
surrounding area..."

Morrissette was charged Thursday with one count each of trafficking
and possession of a controlled substance, along with two counts of
obstructing justice, said Rae.

She would not say what led to the obstruction charges.

Rae said Morrissette has been suspended with pay as a result of
disciplinary action after he was charged with possession of a
controlled substance stemming from a traffic stop on Highway 416 on
August 17 of last year.

At the time, police said an undisclosed amount of marijuana was found
in the vehicle he was driving.

Those charges remain before the courts, said Rae.

He was held in custody overnight and is to appear in Brockville court
today on the latest charges.