Pubdate: Fri, 26 May 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 - Toronto Star Peel/Halton Bureau Chief

COLOMBIAN HEROIN HITS TORONTO

$24 Million Seizure Signals New Source Of Drug, Police Say

Colombian drug syndicates have formed an alliance with Asian crime groups to
distribute heroin in Toronto, police fear.

But at least 75,000 doses of heroin estimated by police as being worth about
$24 million on the street won't be sold in Toronto after seizures at Pearson
International Airport and in Scarborough last Saturday morning.

Three Toronto residents are facing charges. Two are women alleged to have
carried the narcotics, strapped to them in body packs, on a Canadian
Airlines flight from Peru.

Police say the investigation, which began last December, specifically
targeted female drug couriers allegedly involved in importing heroin from
Colombia, rather than its more typical path from Southeast Asia.

"This is not a usual route for heroin," Superintendent Ron Taverner of
Toronto police's Special Investigative Services told a news conference
yesterday. "But we've seen significant changes recently."

While Colombian drug trafficking has traditionally involved cocaine,
Taverner said it appears these South American groups are actively involved
in the heroin trade as well.

Police allege all three arrested parties are members of the Asian crime drug
network in Toronto.

"Heroin use spans all communities," Taverner said. "I believe the Addiction
Research Foundation indicated recently there are about 15,000 heroin users
in Toronto.

"This heroin was of very high quality, in the high 90 per cent range. If it
had hit the streets, it would have been cut or stepped on six or seven times
to the 10 to 15 per cent level.

"Make no mistake about it. Money is what's driving these organized crime
groups. Certainly, producing heroin is a change for Colombia. But they have
the climate and opportunity to produce heroin. This trend is a concern to
us."

Police Say This Group Appears To Be Well-Organized

Taverner said officers working with the Combined Forces Asian Investigative
Unit, the Toronto Airport Drug Enforcement Unit and Canada Customs had
received information about the couriers and were waiting for them at Pearson
when their flight landed Saturday about 6 a.m.

"This is a well-organized group," Taverner said. "We believe the women have
travelled back and forth from South America on previous occasions. We
suspect there have been other shipments of heroin transported to Canada."

One woman was arrested at Pearson, but the other was followed as she met an
associate near her residence where police arrested the two.

Altogether, 7.5 kilograms (17 pounds) of heroin were seized.

Investigators said various substances were used to camouflage its odour, but
it was detected by drug dog Ozzie.

Charged with conspiracy to import a controlled substance are Li Xia Huang,
35, of Timberbank Blvd., Yeng Mei Lu, 36, of Thundergrove Rd., and Boun Sen
Chen, 33, of Silverbell Grove Rd.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk