Pubdate: Fri, 09 Aug 2002
Source: Mississauga News (CN ON)
Copyright: The Mississauga News 2002
Contact:  http://www.mississauganews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/268
Author: Louie Rosella
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/pot.htm (Cannabis)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

DRUGS HIDDEN IN PASSENGER'S BICYCLE SHORTS

The party in one man's shorts came to an end Monday when he touched down 
into Canada off a flight from Amsterdam.

Customs officers at Pearson airport began frisking a 48-year-old passenger 
after they became suspicious he was concealing something.

They found more than 21,000 ecstasy pills stuffed in the bicycle shorts he 
was wearing.

Customs officials said the pills, valued at more than $750,000, were in two 
cylinders that were sewn into the shorts.

The contraband was turned over to Health Canada for destruction and the man 
was arrested by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers.

Ecstasy produces a strong sense of pleasure and feelings of euphoria, but 
can interfere with the body's ability to regulate temperature and can 
sometimes cause death.

Charged with importing a controlled substance into Canada is Helmut Wirtz 
of Germany.

On the same day, a routine check on a shipment of yams from Jamaica turned 
up more than $5 million worth of marijuana and hashish oil.

Customs officers uncovered the contraband during a "normal" examination, 
according to Canada Customs and Revenue Agency spokesperson Sam Papadopoulos.

After examining the shipment of root plants, airport customs officers found 
evidence illegal drugs might be concealed in the boxes, Papadopoulos said.

Officers x-rayed the produce and found 110 kilograms of marijuana and 77 
kilograms of hash oil valued at $5.2 million.

The drugs have been turned over to the RCMP, but no arrests have been made.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager