Pubdate: Thu, 12 Jul 2001
Source: New York Times (NY)
Copyright: 2001 The New York Times Company
Section: Metro Briefing
Contact:  http://www.nytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/298
Author: Alan Feuer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

PLEA IN DRUG CASE

A 31-year-old Israeli man pleaded guilty yesterday to running an 
international smuggling ring for the drug Ecstasy by using Hasidic 
couriers. The Israeli, Sean Erez, admitted in Federal District Court to 
using Hasidim from Williamsburg and Monsey. For $1,500 per trip, the 
couriers smuggled more than one million Ecstasy tablets from Europe to the 
United States in 1998 and 1999. Mr. Erez used Hasidim in religious garb 
because they drew less scrutiny in customs, prosecutors said. 
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager