Pubdate: Thu, 25 Jan 2007 Source: Globe and Mail (Canada) Copyright: 2007, The Globe and Mail Company Contact: http://www.globeandmail.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168 Author: Patrick Brethour UNION OFFICIAL ARRESTED IN COKE BUST U.S. Border Patrol Finds 136 Lbs. of Drug A trail of footprints in freshly fallen snow led U.S. border police to a major cocaine-smuggling bust in the back roads of Washington State, ending in the arrest of a B.C. union official. At 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 18, a sensor on a road in northeastern Washington, near the B.C. border, was activated. When a border patrol agent arrived to check out the alarm, according to a sworn affidavit, he encountered a dark-coloured Toyota pickup truck coming out of a back road and heading south. The agent then headed up the back road, following tire tracks until he saw footprints leading to and from the place where the pickup had turned around. The agent saw two people with backpacks in the snow about 13 metres from the road, under bushes. One fled toward the Canadian border; the other stayed behind and was arrested. According to the affidavit, 136 pounds (about 62 kilograms) of cocaine with a street value of $4.3-million (U.S.) was found in the two backpacks. U.S. customs said a Canadian citizen was arrested on drug charges and illegal entry. According to the affidavit, Perley Edmund Holmes of Bridesville, B.C., is charged with possession with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine. Mr. Holmes is the business manager for Local 97 of the Canadian Ironworkers union in B.C. Local president Dave Beatty said Mr. Holmes is no longer being paid, although his position is not vacant. Mr. Holmes is also a well-known Liberal supporter, Mr. Beatty said, having backed the federal party at least since Jean Chretien was leader. He contributed $100 to the campaign of current leader Stephane Dion. Mr. Holmes was among several hundred people who wrote comments of support to Mr. Dion's website. The message no longer appeared on the site late yesterday, although it was available through a cached version at Google.com. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine