Pubdate: Thu, 11 Apr 2002 Source: Province, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2002 The Province Contact: http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476 Author: Ian Austin U.S. AGENTS SNAG 11, SEIZE HAUL OF B.C. POT U.S. drug officials have nailed what they believe is a major distribution network for B.C. marijuana. In an elaborate sting, officials with the Drug Enforcement Administration busted Winnipeg's Brandon Tutt and 10 other men who they believe were about to deliver $3.8 million worth of B.C. bud to points as far afield as Southern California. The DEA, acting on an informant's tip along with police from Puyallup and Kitsap counties, staked out the Courtyard Inn in Tukwila, a suburb south of Seattle. Tutt and an associate, Warren Wong, allegedly repeatedly made cross-border runs in a camper and trailer full of B.C. marijuana to that location, where they would offload it to smaller distributors. Police obtained a search warrant and seized 860 kilograms of pot, weapons, and $110,000 US in cash. But rather than stop there, investigators spent all day Monday masquerading as dope pushers, using notes and cell-phone records from the hotel room to con buyers into a sting. One by one the buyers came to the hotel and were promptly busted. In all, 11 men, all in their 20s or early 30s, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to distribute marijuana, a charge which carries a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison. Tutt is alleged to have made periodic cross-border runs and stayed at various hotels in Tukwila. Agents spotted a camper and trailer fitting the description and traced them to Tutt. They found that Tutt had stayed in two local hotels, obtained a search warrant and found exactly what they were looking for. "Notes taken from the room showed various names, amounts of marijuana destined for various buyers, and cellular telephone numbers to contact the buyers." The documents show that police were then able to search the residences of several of the buyers, and along with marijuana and paraphernalia seized numerous weapons. - --- MAP posted-by: Josh