Pubdate: Sun, 09 Dec 2001
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2001 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Bob Mitchell

DRUG SMUGGLERS BACK IN BUSINESS AT PEARSON

Smuggling Appeared To Have Taken An Hiatus After Sept. 11

Drug smugglers appear to be back in business at Pearson International 
Airport after a hiatus following the terrorists attacks of Sept. 11.

Canada Customs officers have made eight significant cocaine busts in 
the past seven days, seizing what they say is nearly $4 million worth 
of the drug from travellers arriving at the airport.

Altogether, 36 people have been arrested in the past two months for 
trying to smuggle cocaine into Canada at Pearson and the latest busts 
bring the total value seized since October to nearly $13 million.

"There's no question there's no longer any slowdown in the drug 
trade. There's just too much money to be made," said Staff Sergeant 
Bill Matheson of the RCMP's Airport drug unit.

So far this year, cocaine worth $45 million has been seized in 154 
different drug busts by Canada Customs inspectors at Pearson.

Canada Customs and RCMP officers noticed a dramatic decrease in drug 
smuggling in the days immediately following the terrorist attacks in 
New York and Washington. U.S. Customs officials also reported a 
marked decrease in smuggling activity at major American airports as 
well.

"I think what we saw was that the smugglers decided it probably 
wasn't wise to try and smuggle anything in because of the increased 
surveillance at Pearson," Canada Customs spokesperson Mark Butler 
said.

In the latest bust, Customs inspectors found 12 kilos of cocaine 
worth an estimated street value of $2.4 million concealed in the two 
suitcases belonging to a Montreal woman after she arrived at Pearson 
on Sunday. That same day, approximately 1 kilo of cocaine was also 
found hidden in a false compartment of a pot carried in the luggage 
of a St. Catharines woman.

Last Friday, a Cambridge man was charged after inspectors discovered 
he not only had swallowed drugs but also had hidden 700 grams of 
cocaine in his shoes.

On Nov. 26, inspectors seized 2.8 kilos of cocaine in a suitcase of a 
Jamaican man as well as $560,000 worth of cocaine strapped to his 
body. That same day, about 275 grams of cocaine were seized from a 
Toronto woman who swallowed the narcotics and another 1.5 kilos of 
cocaine was discovered hidden inside the frame of a suitcase carried 
by another Toronto woman.

On Nov. 25, a British Columbia woman was charged after about 1 kilo 
of cocaine worth about $250,000 was found concealed in cakes.

Charged with importing a controlled substance in connection with all 
of the recent drug seizures were Jennifer Oelo, of Coquitlam, B.C.; 
Patricia Dunn, of Toronto; Neville Falconer, of Jamaica; Mono 
Kolowan, of Toronto; William Nobles, of Cambridge; Katherine Mason, 
of St. Catharines and Barbara Maldonado-Soto, of Montreal.

RCMP also announced yesterday that three people have been charged, 
including a British man, following a lengthy investigation. 
Christopher Sutherland, of Great Britain, was charged as a 
co-conspirator in connection with the importation of drugs brought 
into Pearson by two other travellers early in October. Edwina Brazel, 
of Mississauga, was charged Oct. 2 with importing 2.4 kilos of 
cocaine hidden in bottles of sauce and Natasha Rose, of Toronto, was 
charged Oct. 8 after 1 kilo of cocaine was found in a suitcase.

In some of the more notable drug arrests earlier last month, the RCMP 
nabbed a 22-year-old Brampton woman travelling with an infant who was 
caught allegedly trying to smuggle two kilos of cocaine hidden inside 
the frame of a baby stroller.
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