Pubdate: Sun, 11 Dec 2005
Source: Ogdensburg Journal/Advance News (NY)
Copyright: 2005 Johnson Newspaper Corp.
Contact: http://www.ogd.com/letter.htm
Website: http://www.ogd.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/689
Author: Carolyn Thompson, Associated Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?188 (Outlaw Bikers)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?246 (Policing - United States - News)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?216 (CN Police)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/grow+operations

POTENT CANADIAN POT SEIZED ALONG BORDER

BUFFALO, N.Y. - It was just a truck full of frozen waffles, and its
Canadian driver was a card carrying member of FAST, the Free and
Secure Trade program that speeds the customs process for regulars at
the border.

But experience told border officers to run the truck through their
gamma-ray equipment before sending it on its way to its North Carolina
destination.

The closer look revealed 1,152 vacuum-sealed bags containing 320
pounds of hydroponic marijuana tucked among the legitimate cargo.

The potent Canadian-grown marijuana was once mostly a West Coast find,
but has made significant inroads in the East as gangs and individuals
have stepped up to meet a robust U.S. demand.

During the fiscal year that ended in October, border agents seized
about 8,000 pounds of hydroponic marijuana at 17 crossings from
Buffalo to Champlain. In fiscal 2004, the number was 12,000 pounds, up
from just under 3,000 pounds a year earlier, said spokesman Kevin
Corsaro of the Customs and Border Protection's Buffalo field office.
"We've intercepted loads going to Florida, going to New York City,"
Corsaro said.

There have been larger seizures, like from the waffle truck Nov. 5,
whose driver, Daniel Herbert of Chatham, Ontario, faces charges. And
there were similar ones, like the mother and daughter bingo players
who authorities said were probably paid to smuggle 25 pounds in their
conversion van last year.

"There don't seem to be profiles any longer," said Vincent Salvatore,
group supervisor for Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Federal and local agencies pooled their resources during a yearlong
investigation that ended in July with the arrest of 21 people
suspected of being part of one Canada-to-New York smuggling run.

More than 140 law enforcement agents swarmed through 14 locations in
Erie and Niagara counties one morning and seizing about 10 pounds of
marijuana, 30 guns and $100,000 in cash.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin