Pubdate: Wed, 05 Dec 2001
Source: Mississauga News (CN ON)
Copyright: The Mississauga News 2001
Contact:  http://www.mississauganews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/268
Author: Louie Rosella, The Mississauga News
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

COPS BUST-UP ECSTASY RING

Four Mississaugans Face Charges In U.S.

Four Mississauga men believed to be big players and middle men in an 
ecstasy-selling ring will face charges in the U.S. after more than $700,000 
worth of ecstasy was seized in an investigation that concluded violently in 
a Toronto hotel room.

The Peel Regional Police Morality Bureau arrested two Montreal men Sunday 
at the Hilton on Richmond St. when they tried to sell 10,000 ecstasy pills 
to an undercover officer.

During the arrest, police said one of the men tried to reach for his 
.45-calibre handgun.

"If these guys were ready to use a gun on police officers, could you 
imagine what they would do to just a regular Joe?" said Inspector John 
Nielsen of the Morality Bureau. "They're carrying firearms to protect their 
investment."

Nielsen added the gun was loaded with bullets strong enough to penetrate 
through an officer's bullet-proof vest.

Further investigation led police to a Mississauga residence, where they 
arrested another man in his parents' home.

Police believe through the six-month investigation into the trafficking of 
ecstasy from Canada to the U.S., which also involved officers from the 
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) 
in Miami, that ecstasy was either produced or imported in Quebec, sold to 
buyers in Mississauga, and then exported to Florida and sold in the 
American market.

Baljinderpal Thind, 33, of Wilcox Rd., is awaiting extradition to the U.S. 
for charges of conspiracy to import and traffic ecstasy.

Meanwhile, Donavon Brown, 30, of Duford Dr., Andre Iskander, 26, of Owl 
Cir., and Christopher Martin, 25, of Corfu Rd., are already in custody in 
Florida facing trafficking charges.

"We've taken off a major exporting ring," Nielsen said. "There were several 
big players and middle men involved that were key to keeping this operation 
going."

In total, 33,000 tabs of ecstasy were seized with a street value of $720,000.

"It's a profit-driven business that is getting violent," Nielsen said. 
"These sellers are ready to inflict harm on anyone who gets in their way 
because they stand to lose so much money."

But, importing ecstasy into the U.S. from Canada is nothing new to U.S. police.

"We are seeing more and more of this here -- drugs being sold that 
originate from Canada," said Special Agent Kerry Evans of the DEA in Miami. 
"The better dollar here is a huge factor."

Known as a designer drug, ecstasy produces a strong sense of pleasure and 
feelings of euphoria, but it can interfere with the body's ability to 
regulate temperature and can sometimes result in death.

The drug is suspected in the death of Nicole Malik, 17, who collapsed 
Saturday morning while visiting Toronto.

Its popularity has grown immensely in the last few years, namely among 
youths who attend raves.
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