Pubdate: Tue, 7 Dec 1999 Source: Toronto Star (CN ON) Copyright: 1999, The Toronto Star Contact: http://www.thestar.com/ Page: A3 Author: Cal Millar, Toronto Star Staff Reporter A $50 MILLION HEROIN HAUL Eleven Suspects Arrested In Investigation Are Said To Have Links To Asian Gangs A record amount of heroin was seized and 11 people arrested in what police say is a highly sophisticated drug-trafficking network in the Greater Toronto Area. The 18 kilograms of almost pure heroin seized during a series of raids in Toronto and York Region, beginning last Thursday, have an estimated steet value of $50 million, said Superintendent Ron Taverner, head of Toronto police force's special investigative services. "It's the largest seizure in the history of Toronto police with regard to heroin," Taverner said. "We believe it's probably the largest seizure in Ontario other than at a port of entry such as the airport or a customs facility." Police say the discovery of 1,000 hits of Ecstasy in the seizure suggests drug traffickers may have been targeting young people at raves and attempting to get them hooked on heroin, a highly addictive drug. "It's not surprising to see gangs like this selling popular designer drugs to young people and then moving them on to heroin," Taverner said. He said drug traffickers need customers for heroin and this is a way of getting them hooked. There are only so many heroin users around and traffickers have to increase their customer base, Taverner said. Detective Sergeant David Brownell, of the investigative services' major drug section, put together a 50-member task force comprising drug squad officers from Toronto and York Region, the combined forces Asian investigative unit and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police proceeds of crime unit. The arrests followed an eight-month undercover investigation that began after drug squad officers purchased a quantity of heroin from a street dealer. "This is a very significant seizure," Taverner said. "It's a very large organization that we've taken out. This will have an impact on the heroin distribution on the street." Those arrested are associated with Asian gangs in Canada and China, and are part of an organized crime network, he said, adding that some gang members have to be highly connected to deal in this quality and quantity of heroin. "We rarely see 99 per cent pure heroin on the streets," he said. "In fact, we don't see it on the streets. If someone was to use drugs at 99 per cent pure, . . . they would die." The investigation - code-named Pizza/Haze because police initially made drug purchases in pizza shops - is believed to have uncovered a top-level drug dealer and smashed an operation that used a rented apartment in Scarborough to process quantities of heroin and other drugs. Taverner said the bulk of the heroin seized during the raids - 14 kilograms - - was found in an apartment unit on Greystone Walk Dr., which served as a base where heroin was packed into blocks for street distribution. "No one lived in the apartment unit," a police source said. "It had been rented just as a place to handle the drugs." Smaller amounts of heroin were seized during the various arrests. Apart from the heroin and Ecstasy, drug squad officers also seized a heroin processing press, weigh scales, about $100,000 in cash, a handgun and several expensive cars. The investigation cost more than $100,000 in police salaries, but Taverner would not say how much undercover officers spent to buy drugs. The heroin seized during the undercover probe was probably destined for the Greater Toronto Area and investigations are continuing to find how it arrived in Canada, he said. "It has a severe impact on the whole community." Taverner said two other individuals are being sought in addition to the 11 arrested. Charges include conspiracy to traffic in heroin, drug trafficking and possession of Ecstasy and heroin for the purpose of trafficking. - --- MAP posted-by: Eric Ernst