Pubdate: Fri, 14 Dec 2001 Source: Halifax Herald (CN NS) Copyright: 2001 The Halifax Herald Limited Contact: http://www.herald.ns.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/180 Author: Patricia Brooks CUSTOMS CRACKS CONTAINER WITH COCAINE Halifax Waterfront Search Nets $10m Worth Of Drug In Duffel Bags Almost $10 million of cocaine stuffed into duffel bags was shipped to Halifax last week in a container full of illegally imported liquor. "Frankly, it wasn't concealed very well," Canada Customs and Revenue Agency spokesman Roy Jamieson said of the drugs Thursday. "It was basically right out there in the open. "Obviously, it wasn't a very sophisticated operation." Customs officers found more than 73 kilograms of cocaine last Friday morning during a search of a container of brandy. The agency estimates the drugs have a street value of about $9.9 million. In addition to the drugs, officers also seized the brandy, spirits and other alcohol inside the container after determining it was illegally shipped into Canada. The drugs and alcohol were seized from a container at Halifax's Fairview Cove pier that was shipped from Panama and bound for Northern Ontario. Although Mr. Jamieson couldn't say what shipping company transported the container, he did say only one company serves Panama to Halifax. That's Hapag-Lloyd. He didn't say exactly why this container was chosen but the agency's intelligence and contraband unit is "on the lookout for this type of movement." The drugs and alcohol have been turned over to the RCMP, and no charges have been laid. In this case, customs chose not to allow the container to continue to its destination. But sometimes customs allows a shipment through under surveillance, hoping to track people expecting an illegal shipment. That method led to an arrest this week in a $26-million hashish bust at the port. On Aug. 6 and Aug. 23, customs searched two containers that landed in Halifax with a total of 3,180 kilograms of hashish, with an estimated street value of $26-million, hidden in the container's walls. The find was not publicized, Mr. Jamieson said, because they hoped to be able to make an arrest when the recipient picked up the shipment in Montreal. This week, Montreal police arrested Bashir Mazari, 57, of no fixed address, and charged him with importing hashish and possession for the purpose of trafficking. The container originated in Pakistan, but Mr. Jameison said intelligence officers believe the drugs were from Afghanistan. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth