Pubdate: Fri, 15 Apr 2005 Source: Ogdensburg Journal/Advance News (NY) Copyright: 2005 Johnson Newspaper Corp. Contact: http://www.ogd.com/letter.htm Website: http://www.ogd.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/689 Author: Associated Press Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/af.htm (Asset Forfeiture) DRUG MONEY PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. - Nearly a half-million dollars in drug-smuggling funds seized along the U.S.-Canadian border will go to police here to combat drug trafficking, federal immigration officials said Thursday. The forfeited money - totaling $430,909 - comes from five smuggling cases broken up by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officials and state and local police. Plattsburgh Police Chief Desmond Racicot noted the city, located directly off Interstate 87, sits squarely along a major smuggling route and the money will help the department keep drugs from reaching local streets and schools. The Plattsburgh department has dedicated a city detective to Immigration and Customs as part of a partnership aimed at fighting drug smuggling at the border. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin