PEEL COP ON DRUG RAP

Mounties Alleged He Tried To Bring Khat Through Pearson

A Peel regional police officer has been charged after allegedly trying
to smuggle drugs into the country at Pearson airport.

Airport officers said the cop, who's been with the force for less than
five years, was charged Friday night as he arrived on a flight from
Amsterdam. Officers said the man allegedly had less than a kilogram of
the East African drug khat hidden in a suitcase.

The officer appeared in Brampton court yesterday. He was suspended
from duty as the force conducts an internal investigation. Peel's
Insp. Steve Dolan said the officer, whom he refused to identify, was
charged with importing a controlled substance.

'Very Seriously'

"The matter is being taken very seriously," Dolan said. "Our internal
affairs is working very closely with the RCMP and Canada Customs on
this case."

Customs spokesman Mark Butler said a number of people were arrested
for attempting to smuggle drugs into Pearson Friday.

"We constantly share information and intelligence with other police
forces," Butler said. "Our officers are trained to find drugs coming
into the country."

Khat is a bark-like substance that produces a high when chewed. The
drug, which has a shelf life of about 48 hours, is imported from
Africa, and sold by the bunch, through a network of ethnic stores in
the Toronto area.

Pay Couriers

The RCMP has said city khat kingpins usually pay couriers to smuggle
suitcases full of the drug from London or Amsterdam to Toronto for
resale.

The seizure is estimated at several hundred dollars.