clarinews@clarinet.com (Marshall/Satellite Radio News/Standard Broadcast News) (02/03/90)
(SPOKANE, Washington) A U-S law enforcement official says a plan to smuggle three-tonnes of marijuana from Mexico into Canada involved members of a Canadian criminal organization. U-S Immigration Special Agent Ronnie Ayers was testifying Friday at a Spokane, Washington, court case. Ayers says the 25-hundred-member West End Gang was to receive the marijuana. The gang is reported to have ties to the Irish Republican Army. Ayers says the gang may funnel a portion of its drug profits to the outlawed I-R-A. U-S officials have also released more information about an airstrip under construction near Grand Forks, B-C, to receive the marijuana shipments. The airstrip...near the Canada!U-S border...was to be 35-hundred-feet long, and would be capable of handling DC-3 aircraft. Sixteen people face charges, including at least six-Canadians...from the Kootenays, Okanagan, and Vancouver.