Pubdate: Fri, 21 Apr 2000
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2000 The Toronto Star
Contact:  One Yonge St., Toronto ON, M5E 1E6
Fax: (416) 869-4322
Website: http://www.thestar.com/
Forum: http://www.thestar.com/editorial/disc_board/
Author: Bob Mitchell, Peel/Halton Bureau Chief

COMPANY DENIES DRUG INVOLVEMENT

The $10.5 million worth of drugs found Sunday at Pearson airport, hidden in
the belly of a charter aircraft from Jamaica, may not have been destined for
Toronto, says an official with one of the companies being investigated.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police allege that ground-service workers in Jamaica
conspired with others at Pearson to smuggle the drug cache into the country.

But Dennis Lawn, vice-president of Hudson General Aviation, said there is no
evidence his company's ramp workers are involved. He insists the drugs could
have been destined for another airport or country.

The drugs were found hidden beneath the floor of the cargo hold of a
SkyService jet - an area accessible only to ramp workers, baggage handlers
or mechanics. Canada Customs officials say the discovery may have been the
largest drug haul ever found in a plane at Pearson.

SkyService uses its own mechanics but contracts out baggage-handling service
to Montreal-based Hudson General, one of several such companies at Pearson.

"From what I understand, there is absolutely no evidence that the drugs were
put on down there (Jamaica) and were destined for Toronto," Lawn said. "They
could have been put on there but taken off at any airport where the plane
was going to go over the next six weeks.

"They could have been missed on a previous flight. There is nothing to
suggest this was a direct ramp from Jamaica to a ramp in Toronto . . . We
have had no incidents involving Hudson General workers that I've been aware
of over the last 25 years."

But RCMP Corporal Larry Foy said the investigation is focusing on the
Toronto end.

"Toronto is probably the best unloading point for any of that stuff
(drugs)," Foy said. "There is a ready market for it here, and if anybody
took the chance to put it on a plane headed for here, chances are it was
supposed to come off here."

One thing appears certain: The narcotics wouldn't have been found had the
person placing them not botched the job. They were discovered after a
customs officer noted an improperly secured service access panel.
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