Pubdate: Tue, 10 May 2005
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Lena Sin
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

CUSTOMS OFFICER ACCUSED OF SMUGGLING POT OUT ON BAIL

SEATTLE -- Altaf Merali, the Canadian customs officer accused of smuggling 
100 kilograms of pot across the border, was released on bail yesterday 
after his mom paid a $50,000 US bond.

Merali's family -- his wife Jennifer, mother, brother, a cousin who is 
Canadian counsel to Uganda, and two friends -- drove from B.C. to U.S. 
District Court in Seattle for his bail hearing.

"Given Mr. Merali is very close to his family, I cannot think of any reason 
Mr. Merali wouldn't come to court because he knows he'd lose his mother's 
money and all ties to his family," defence lawyer Paula Deutsch told the court.

Deutsch said Merali would stay at his mother's home with his wife and two 
sons while awaiting trial. "His family is disappointed in him but they're 
willing to be supportive and helpful," said Deutsch.

Merali, 37, of Surrey, was charged last Wednesday with conspiracy to 
distribute marijuana after the pot was found in his van. Merali drove to 
the border last Tuesday with his customs uniform hanging in the rear window 
and allegedly confessed after he was stopped for a random inspection.

According to court documents, he said he did it because an Indo-Canadian 
gang had threatened to hurt his family.

U.S. District Attorney David Jennings argued in court that Merali should 
stay in custody.

"The excuse of a threat is a built-in defence mechanism for Mr. Merali," 
said Jennings. "I don't believe that for a minute, but it gives him a way 
of not coming back down here and finishing what he started to do."

Jennings also said Merali could not be trusted because he "was in the 
position of Canadian law enforcement and he betrayed that trust."

Merali's co-accused, Jason Dean Smith, was released on a home equity bond 
of about $30,000 US.

Outside court, Jennings said that if Merali did not come back, it would be 
"a second betrayal of trust [to his family] and he doesn't want to do that."

Douglas College professor Colin Campbell, Merali's friend and ex-neighbour 
from Coquitlam, attended court out of "loyalty to a good person."

"It still very much feels like a death in the family. Something very 
horrible has happened here and a lot of people have been damaged by it and 
all of us here are struggling to make sense of it," he said.

Merali's next court date is May 18.
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MAP posted-by: Beth