Pot ring smoked out

7 Canadian residents to be sent state-side following major cross-border drug bust

By DON PEAT, SUN MEDIA
July 26, 2008, Toronto SUN

Canadian and U.S. authorities smashed a million dollar drug smuggling ring and are preparing to ship seven Ontario residents south of the border to face federal criminal charges.

In total, more than $1 million in cash and 237 kilos of marijuana were seized throughout the cross-border investigation that led to Thursday's raids and arrests.

Police allege the ring was trafficking marijuana harvested from indoor grow-ops into the U.S. and funnelling cash back into Canada.

On top of the seven Canadian residents facing extradition, five GTA residents face drug charges here in connection with six raids by the Asian Organized Crime Task Force.

The RCMP, the Canadian Border Services Agency and several local police forces swept up the seven in raids across the province Thursday -- netting individuals in Maple, Markham, Vaughan, Woodbridge, St. Catharines, Ohsweken, and Windsor.

RCMP spokesman Sgt. Marc LaPorte said Canadian officers have been involved in the case for six months, after U.S. authorities alerted them to a large marijuana bust in Pittsburgh.

U.S. PROBE

From that February seizure, U.S. investigators traced the source of marijuana north to Canada.

"They were mostly the suppliers, some of them were growers, some of them were facilitators, some of them were drivers," LaPorte told the Sun yesterday.

"Basically the supply end was here, they would drive it down to the States -- to Pittsburgh -- and bring back the money."

LaPorte called the bust a "fairly substantial" dent in a well-organized, international drug ring.

Police said the ring was using everything from cars to transport trucks to ferry the hidden drugs and carrying 36 to 68 kilos of pot per trip.

The seven arrested on extradition warrants are charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute a controlled substance in the U.S.

Under U.S. law that charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years to a maximum of 40 years in prison, a $2 million fine or both and four years of supervised release.

The Asian Organized Crime Task Force executed six search warrants in Toronto, Oakville and Richmond Hill, Toronto Police said.

Officers seized 76 pounds of dried and packaged marijuana, 215 pot plants, $170,000 in U.S. and Canadian cash, $200,000 in hydroponic equipment, and four vehicles.

Small amounts of opium, heroin, cocaine and ecstasy were also found, police said.

KIDS IN CARE

Two children, ages six and nine, were found during the raids and turned over to the Children's Aid Society.

Police are still looking for one man wanted in connection with the busts.

Tien Nguyen, 40, of Toronto, is charged with production of marijuana and possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000.

The raids coincided with arrests south of the border.

Officials at the U.S. attorney's office said six individuals were arrested in Pittsburgh this week and two were netted in Florida. All eight are charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 100 kilos or more of marijuana.

Meanwhile, police in Milton seized more than 2,100 marijuana plants after executing a search warrant yesterday.

They described the operation as a "sophisticated" laboratory in the basement of a home that used a hydroelectric bypass to supply electricity to the hydroponic system.

More than 4.5 kilos of dry marijuana ready for sale was also seized.

Charges are expected to be laid pending further investigation.