Pubdate: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 Source: Now, The (Surrey, CN BC) Copyright: 2007 South Fraser Publishing Ltd. Contact: http://www.canada.com/surreynow Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462 Author: Tom Zytaruk, Surrey Now SURREY ON DRUG HIT LIST Police have cast a huge net to catch more than 100 suspects in a Vancouver-based global drug trafficking conspiracy and some Surrey residents are on the menu. British Columbia's Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU), assisted by police in other countries, has toppled a Vancouver-based organized crime syndicate reaching into the United States, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, China, India and Taiwan. Project E-Paragon, as the investigation is called, involved hundreds of police officers and is believed to be the biggest narcotics crackdown in B.C.'s history. Thirty-six people have already been charged, with more on the way. "There are a couple of Surrey people that will be indicted shortly," CFSEU Inspector Pat Fogarty told the Now. Police have conducted searches in Surrey, but as of press time no property has been seized here resulting from the investigation. All told, more than 640 kilograms of cocaine, 111 kilograms of methamphetamines, 83 kilograms of ecstasy, 26 units of heroin, 7,832 pounds of marijuana, and 1,200 kilograms of drug precursors including ephedrine and MDP2P have been seized so far. Police have also seized nine houses and condos in the Lower Mainland worth more than $6 million, $300,000 in vehicles, $3 million cash and 17 handguns and prohibited weapons. The sophisticated cartel, allegedly run by 40-year-old Vancouver resident Yong Long Ye, saw cocaine transported from Los Angeles to be sold in Toronto, with the proceeds sent to Vancouver. From Vancouver, police say, methamphetamine was shipped in boxes and suitcases equipped with hidden compartments to be sold in New Zealand and Australia, with the proceeds of those transactions being funneled to 38 bank accounts in China and then back to Vancouver, bypassing money export restrictions. Drugs allegedly trafficked through this scheme were worth $101 million wholesale and $168 million on the street. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek