HAVING A BLAST ON THE 'HIGH' SEAS

Canucks Bust Drug-Running Boat, Use It For Target Practice

OTTAWA -- Canadian sailors are on a high after blowing up $72 million
in opium and hashish.

Commodore Jean-Pierre Thiffault, commander of the Canadian Forces
fight against terrorism, said HMCS Toronto's sailors led the
high-seas drug bust Wednesday. He said the take-down ended in an
impressive show of firepower yesterday when the frigate used the drug
boat for target practice.

"They took advantage of the opportunity to do a bit of gun practice,"
he said in an interview from the coalition headquarters in Tampa,
Florida.

Canadian sailors staffing the frigate first spotted a dhow - a local
type of sailing vessel - towing a speedboat in international waters
off Pakistan Wednesday.

They boarded when two men jumped into the speedboat and abandoned the
dhow with its motors running.

The boarding party uncovered about 90 bags stuffed with plastic
packages stamped with the phrase "Freedom of Afghanistan."

The bags contained two tonnes of opium and hashish, estimated at a
street value of $41 million to $72 million.

"That's a big find, a significant find," Thiffault said. "And if
you're able to deny the enemy that much money in one opportunity then
it's a significant event."

Coalition intelligence officers combed through the shipment to
determine if the drugs were linked to al-Qaida or Taliban suspects.

Thiffault said there was nowhere to dock the dhow, so the Canadian
sailors towed it further out to sea.

"When you have absolutely no place to return the derelict vessel, you
resolve to (use) other means."

HMCS Toronto unleashed her 57-mm guns on the boat, sinking it and its
drug cargo.

"There were other ships involved and aircraft and they took advantage
to do a bit of combat-readiness training, seeing as they were
disposing of it altogether," Thiffault said.

HMCS Toronto is part of Canada's contribution to the war against
terrorism, which includes two other frigates, a destroyer and a
supply ship.

The Canadian Forces have also contributed 750 ground troops in
Kandahar, and about 40 commandos and air force personnel working with
three Hercules transport planes, an Airbus and two maritime
surveillance planes.