News (Media Awareness Project) - CN NS: Customs Cracks Container With Cocaine |
| Title: | CN NS: Customs Cracks Container With Cocaine |
| Published On: | 2001-12-14 |
| Source: | Halifax Herald (CN NS) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-25 02:05:54 |
CUSTOMS CRACKS CONTAINER WITH COCAINE
Halifax Waterfront Search Nets $10m Worth Of Drug In Duffel Bags
Almost $10 million of cocaine stuffed into duffel bags was shipped to
Halifax last week in a container full of illegally imported liquor.
"Frankly, it wasn't concealed very well," Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
spokesman Roy Jamieson said of the drugs Thursday. "It was basically right
out there in the open.
"Obviously, it wasn't a very sophisticated operation."
Customs officers found more than 73 kilograms of cocaine last Friday
morning during a search of a container of brandy.
The agency estimates the drugs have a street value of about $9.9 million.
In addition to the drugs, officers also seized the brandy, spirits and
other alcohol inside the container after determining it was illegally
shipped into Canada.
The drugs and alcohol were seized from a container at Halifax's Fairview
Cove pier that was shipped from Panama and bound for Northern Ontario.
Although Mr. Jamieson couldn't say what shipping company transported the
container, he did say only one company serves Panama to Halifax. That's
Hapag-Lloyd.
He didn't say exactly why this container was chosen but the agency's
intelligence and contraband unit is "on the lookout for this type of movement."
The drugs and alcohol have been turned over to the RCMP, and no charges
have been laid.
In this case, customs chose not to allow the container to continue to its
destination.
But sometimes customs allows a shipment through under surveillance, hoping
to track people expecting an illegal shipment.
That method led to an arrest this week in a $26-million hashish bust at the
port.
On Aug. 6 and Aug. 23, customs searched two containers that landed in
Halifax with a total of 3,180 kilograms of hashish, with an estimated
street value of $26-million, hidden in the container's walls.
The find was not publicized, Mr. Jamieson said, because they hoped to be
able to make an arrest when the recipient picked up the shipment in Montreal.
This week, Montreal police arrested Bashir Mazari, 57, of no fixed address,
and charged him with importing hashish and possession for the purpose of
trafficking.
The container originated in Pakistan, but Mr. Jameison said intelligence
officers believe the drugs were from Afghanistan.
Halifax Waterfront Search Nets $10m Worth Of Drug In Duffel Bags
Almost $10 million of cocaine stuffed into duffel bags was shipped to
Halifax last week in a container full of illegally imported liquor.
"Frankly, it wasn't concealed very well," Canada Customs and Revenue Agency
spokesman Roy Jamieson said of the drugs Thursday. "It was basically right
out there in the open.
"Obviously, it wasn't a very sophisticated operation."
Customs officers found more than 73 kilograms of cocaine last Friday
morning during a search of a container of brandy.
The agency estimates the drugs have a street value of about $9.9 million.
In addition to the drugs, officers also seized the brandy, spirits and
other alcohol inside the container after determining it was illegally
shipped into Canada.
The drugs and alcohol were seized from a container at Halifax's Fairview
Cove pier that was shipped from Panama and bound for Northern Ontario.
Although Mr. Jamieson couldn't say what shipping company transported the
container, he did say only one company serves Panama to Halifax. That's
Hapag-Lloyd.
He didn't say exactly why this container was chosen but the agency's
intelligence and contraband unit is "on the lookout for this type of movement."
The drugs and alcohol have been turned over to the RCMP, and no charges
have been laid.
In this case, customs chose not to allow the container to continue to its
destination.
But sometimes customs allows a shipment through under surveillance, hoping
to track people expecting an illegal shipment.
That method led to an arrest this week in a $26-million hashish bust at the
port.
On Aug. 6 and Aug. 23, customs searched two containers that landed in
Halifax with a total of 3,180 kilograms of hashish, with an estimated
street value of $26-million, hidden in the container's walls.
The find was not publicized, Mr. Jamieson said, because they hoped to be
able to make an arrest when the recipient picked up the shipment in Montreal.
This week, Montreal police arrested Bashir Mazari, 57, of no fixed address,
and charged him with importing hashish and possession for the purpose of
trafficking.
The container originated in Pakistan, but Mr. Jameison said intelligence
officers believe the drugs were from Afghanistan.
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