Tweet
Drug busts worth $80 million
By Rob Tripp
Saturday, July 06, 2002 - 7:00:00 AM
Local News - Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Kingston, with the help of police agencies in eight countries, most in the Caribbean, have seized nearly 600 kilograms of cocaine and crippled two organized crime groups, they say.
The cocaine, seized Thursday, is valued at $60 million and is roughly equal to half the total cocaine seized in 2001 by RCMP and Canada Customs.
Six people from Quebec were arrested and assets valued at roughly $9 million have been frozen, including property in Ontario and luxurious homes in the Turks and Caicos Islands, a Caribbean tourist mecca in the West Indies.
“Two international organized crime networks were brought to their knees today through the seamless efforts of police and law enforcement agencies throughout the Western Hemisphere,” RCMP Chief Superintendent John MacLaughlan said at a news conference yesterday in Kingston.
The six suspects were arrested in simultaneous raids in the Gatineau, Que., area and in Nova Scotia. Police will not say where the cocaine was seized except that it was “destined for Canada.”
MacLaughlan named a revolutionary army faction in Colombia, FARC, as one of the criminal enterprises affected by the police operation, but he would not name the criminal organization in Canada that police suspect is involved.
The six accused face a total of 16 drug and money-laundering charges, according to court records, and are scheduled to appear in a Kingston courtroom Monday and Tuesday. They are being held at the Quinte Detention Centre in Napanee.
In a strange legal twist, police laid 12 charges involving a seventh Quebec resident who died in the spring of this year. Investigators are still pursuing the property owned by the deceased man that was allegedly obtained using drug profits.
Police also announced the largest-ever seizure of marijuana oil by the Mounties, 1,000 kilograms, and the arrest of two people on charges of drug smuggling and money laundering. The marijuana oil has a street value of $20 million, police say.
The two accused in this case, Michael Harold Witt, 45, and Tina Marie Grenier, 41, were arrested June 21 and released on bail that day after appearing in a Kingston courtroom.
Their arrest was not revealed until yesterday.
Witt paid $15,000 in cash at his bail hearing and also posted a $50,000 bail bond.
Grenier was required to pay $5,000.
Witt and Grenier face 12 charges involving alleged drug crimes and money laundering dating to 1994. They are now required to live under strict conditions at an address in Orillia, Ont.
Police say the pair were living in the Turks and Caicos Islands but were arrested on their return to Canada.
The two drug seizures are the result of separate investigations, although Witt, accused in the marijuana case, is also named in court documents as a co-conspirator in the cocaine case.
MacLaughlan was flanked by senior officers from police agencies in Costa Rica, Trinidad, St. Lucia and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Law enforcement officials from the United States, Colombia, St. Vincent and Panama also were involved.
It’s estimated that between 40 and 50 investigators worked on the two cases in the past three years.
The cocaine investigation began in January 2002. The investigation into the marijuana oil smuggling began in July 1999, at the conclusion of a previous RCMP drug probe that led to the arrest of more than 10 people and property seizures in Kingston.
The 590 kilograms of seized cocaine, packed in bricks the size of a large hardcover book, lined a wall of the RCMP office where police spoke yesterday. It is enough of the drug to produce 10 million doses, police said.
Half of the haul of seized marijuana oil was on display, wrapped in bags packed in seven, 115 litre plastic tote boxes.
“These were intensive and exceptional investigations with dramatic results,” MacLaughlan said.
Both investigations are ongoing and more people may be arrested.
“What you see in front of you today is the power of integrated policing on the world stage, a compelling example of how police and law enforcement can fight organized crime on a global scale when we share intelligence and resources,” MacLaughlan said.
“I can guarantee that the co-operation between the RCMP and the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force will continue,” said Det. Supt. Hubert Hughes, head of the island force’s criminal investigations department. “We are committed to fight against organized drug trafficking and other criminal activity.”
Supt. Garry Clement, the national director of the RCMP’s proceeds of crime branch, said large-scale drug smuggling always involves some element of organized crime.
“I think what you see is the Caribbean’s no longer a safe haven for money launderers,” Clement said.
Police said if these drugs had been sold in Canada, as planned, some of the profits would have been funnelled back to terrorist organizations.
“The [U.S.] Drug Enforcement Agency has identified about 10 terrorist organizations that are involved in drug trafficking to fund their activities,” said MacLaughlan, adding that these busts are meant to send a message to organized crime groups.
“We will chase you to the ends of the Earth if you continue to import narcotics into our country,” he said.
MacLaughlan said members of organized crime groups likely meet in places like Kingston because they feel safe in smaller communities.
“Kingston actually is used as a base for a number of criminal operations,” he said.
Court records show that police are still hunting co-conspirators in the cocaine case, some of whom are known to investigators only by partial names.
One document refers to conspiracies involving “Cheapy (last name unknown)” and “Jesus (last name unknown.”
The documents outline alleged meetings in Kingston, Brockville, Ottawa, Gatineau, Que., Nova Scotia and other locations dating back to 1995 at which the conspirators hatched plans to smuggle drugs into Canada and sell them, or schemed to launder the drug profits.
The documents also outline alleged plans to sell or acquire properties using drug money. In the marijuana oil case, police identify two properties in particular, “a residence located at part of Lot 14 Concession 7 NNS in the Town of Milton” in Ontario and a residence in Providenciales, at the west end of the chain of Turks and Caicos Islands.
The court records allege the crimes were committed in at least seven countries: Canada, the United States, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bermuda, Jamaica and Panama.
By Rob Tripp
Saturday, July 06, 2002 - 7:00:00 AM
Local News - Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Kingston, with the help of police agencies in eight countries, most in the Caribbean, have seized nearly 600 kilograms of cocaine and crippled two organized crime groups, they say.
The cocaine, seized Thursday, is valued at $60 million and is roughly equal to half the total cocaine seized in 2001 by RCMP and Canada Customs.
Six people from Quebec were arrested and assets valued at roughly $9 million have been frozen, including property in Ontario and luxurious homes in the Turks and Caicos Islands, a Caribbean tourist mecca in the West Indies.
“Two international organized crime networks were brought to their knees today through the seamless efforts of police and law enforcement agencies throughout the Western Hemisphere,” RCMP Chief Superintendent John MacLaughlan said at a news conference yesterday in Kingston.
The six suspects were arrested in simultaneous raids in the Gatineau, Que., area and in Nova Scotia. Police will not say where the cocaine was seized except that it was “destined for Canada.”
MacLaughlan named a revolutionary army faction in Colombia, FARC, as one of the criminal enterprises affected by the police operation, but he would not name the criminal organization in Canada that police suspect is involved.
The six accused face a total of 16 drug and money-laundering charges, according to court records, and are scheduled to appear in a Kingston courtroom Monday and Tuesday. They are being held at the Quinte Detention Centre in Napanee.
In a strange legal twist, police laid 12 charges involving a seventh Quebec resident who died in the spring of this year. Investigators are still pursuing the property owned by the deceased man that was allegedly obtained using drug profits.
Police also announced the largest-ever seizure of marijuana oil by the Mounties, 1,000 kilograms, and the arrest of two people on charges of drug smuggling and money laundering. The marijuana oil has a street value of $20 million, police say.
The two accused in this case, Michael Harold Witt, 45, and Tina Marie Grenier, 41, were arrested June 21 and released on bail that day after appearing in a Kingston courtroom.
Their arrest was not revealed until yesterday.
Witt paid $15,000 in cash at his bail hearing and also posted a $50,000 bail bond.
Grenier was required to pay $5,000.
Witt and Grenier face 12 charges involving alleged drug crimes and money laundering dating to 1994. They are now required to live under strict conditions at an address in Orillia, Ont.
Police say the pair were living in the Turks and Caicos Islands but were arrested on their return to Canada.
The two drug seizures are the result of separate investigations, although Witt, accused in the marijuana case, is also named in court documents as a co-conspirator in the cocaine case.
MacLaughlan was flanked by senior officers from police agencies in Costa Rica, Trinidad, St. Lucia and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Law enforcement officials from the United States, Colombia, St. Vincent and Panama also were involved.
It’s estimated that between 40 and 50 investigators worked on the two cases in the past three years.
The cocaine investigation began in January 2002. The investigation into the marijuana oil smuggling began in July 1999, at the conclusion of a previous RCMP drug probe that led to the arrest of more than 10 people and property seizures in Kingston.
The 590 kilograms of seized cocaine, packed in bricks the size of a large hardcover book, lined a wall of the RCMP office where police spoke yesterday. It is enough of the drug to produce 10 million doses, police said.
Half of the haul of seized marijuana oil was on display, wrapped in bags packed in seven, 115 litre plastic tote boxes.
“These were intensive and exceptional investigations with dramatic results,” MacLaughlan said.
Both investigations are ongoing and more people may be arrested.
“What you see in front of you today is the power of integrated policing on the world stage, a compelling example of how police and law enforcement can fight organized crime on a global scale when we share intelligence and resources,” MacLaughlan said.
“I can guarantee that the co-operation between the RCMP and the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force will continue,” said Det. Supt. Hubert Hughes, head of the island force’s criminal investigations department. “We are committed to fight against organized drug trafficking and other criminal activity.”
Supt. Garry Clement, the national director of the RCMP’s proceeds of crime branch, said large-scale drug smuggling always involves some element of organized crime.
“I think what you see is the Caribbean’s no longer a safe haven for money launderers,” Clement said.
Police said if these drugs had been sold in Canada, as planned, some of the profits would have been funnelled back to terrorist organizations.
“The [U.S.] Drug Enforcement Agency has identified about 10 terrorist organizations that are involved in drug trafficking to fund their activities,” said MacLaughlan, adding that these busts are meant to send a message to organized crime groups.
“We will chase you to the ends of the Earth if you continue to import narcotics into our country,” he said.
MacLaughlan said members of organized crime groups likely meet in places like Kingston because they feel safe in smaller communities.
“Kingston actually is used as a base for a number of criminal operations,” he said.
Court records show that police are still hunting co-conspirators in the cocaine case, some of whom are known to investigators only by partial names.
One document refers to conspiracies involving “Cheapy (last name unknown)” and “Jesus (last name unknown.”
The documents outline alleged meetings in Kingston, Brockville, Ottawa, Gatineau, Que., Nova Scotia and other locations dating back to 1995 at which the conspirators hatched plans to smuggle drugs into Canada and sell them, or schemed to launder the drug profits.
The documents also outline alleged plans to sell or acquire properties using drug money. In the marijuana oil case, police identify two properties in particular, “a residence located at part of Lot 14 Concession 7 NNS in the Town of Milton” in Ontario and a residence in Providenciales, at the west end of the chain of Turks and Caicos Islands.
The court records allege the crimes were committed in at least seven countries: Canada, the United States, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bermuda, Jamaica and Panama.
Comment