Pubdate: Fri, 14 Nov 2003
Source: Brooks Bulletin, The (CN AB)
Copyright: 2003 The Brooks Bulletin.
Contact:  http://www.brooksbulletin.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2917
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/corrupt.htm (Corruption)

DRUGS THROUGH AIRPORTS

The primary gateway for smuggling illegal drugs into Canada includes all 
three major international airports - Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, 
according to a recent RCMP report.

Drug traffic through the airports is so epidemic that airport seizures 
accounted for 92 per cent of the heroin, 90 per cent of the ecstasy, 40 per 
cent of the cocaine and 40 per cent of the liquid hashish seized in Canada 
last year. The presence of organized-crime members has been well established.

In many cases, airport staff have been charged with working for the crime 
element. These are not highly paid or highly trained individuals and can be 
easily compromised because the money aspect is so great.

Baggage handlers, airline employees, security guards and even a Canada 
Customs employee have been found to work as part of drug smuggling rings. 
While enforcement officers maintain a program of search and surveillance, 
they lack manpower to investigate all employees at airports to determine 
where drug shipments have been diverted for organized crime groups.

Policing of airports is complicated involving flow of commercial activity, 
the security of travellers, safety of the nation plus the criminal 
smuggling element. In spite of all this, there are encouraging results.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jackl