Pubdate: Thu, 24 Nov 2005
Source: Montreal Gazette (CN QU)
Copyright: 2005 The Gazette, a division of Southam Inc.
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/montreal/montrealgazette/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/274
Author: Paul Cherry, The Gazette
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

COCAINE BUST NETS 13 ARRESTS

Mont Tremblant Police Believe Suspects Have Long Controlled Region's
Drug Trade

Mont Tremblant is known for its snowy hills, which attract skiers in
droves.

But a major police bust in the Laurentians town yesterday involved a
different type of white powder.

Among the people arrested or sought on warrants yesterday were people
who face charges of trafficking in cocaine since April.

But the police believe some have controlled the cocaine trade in the
region for much longer.

"This is related to a very organized and structured network," said
Constable Isabelle Gendron of the Surete du Quebec. "This organization
has been trafficking in Mont Tremblant for years. During the
investigation we found that the cocaine was being sold mainly in three
bars in Mont Tremblant, but also in the surrounding
municipalities."

As of late yesterday afternoon, 13 people were arrested and officers
executed 19 search warrants in and around Mont Tremblant.

Court orders were also filed seeking to have a house on Lac Dufour Rd.
and a popular bar named Le Chariot, on St. Jovite St., seized as the
proceeds of crime.

The house, valued at more than $270,000 according to a municipal
evaluation, is owned by 43-year-old Christian Saindon, one of three
people facing the more serious charges related to the drug trafficking
investigation. Saindon was not home when the police came knocking
yesterday morning.

The police operation was carried out by 125 officers, including some
from the Mont Tremblant municipal force, the Surete du Quebec and the
Regional Integrated Squad for the Rive-Nord region.

The regional squads were assembled a few years ago to investigate
outlaw motorcycle gangs. But Gendron said none of the people arrested
yesterday was a member of any known gangs.

However, Saindon and two other men face charges of gangsterism and of
conspiring to traffic in cocaine across the Laurentians, in
municipalities like St. Sauveur, Ste. Adele and Ste. Agathe, as well
as Mont Tremblant.

Gendron said the Mont Tremblant municipal police launched the
investigation and that the regional squad was brought in because of
their experience in certain aspects, like the eventual seizing of the
proceeds of crime.
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