Friday, June 30, 2006

Pot falls from the sky in North Cascades NP

Be careful as you hike through the remote wilderness of North Cascades National Park or you could be flattened by half a ton of marijauna falling from the sky!

Apparently, the United States has import restrictions on Canada's most lucrative crop, so hemp horticulturists are forced to fly their harvests over the border and drop them in remote locations.

Airborne smugglers link B.C. pot growers and U.S. distributors (
The Seattle Times)

About two years ago, hikers, fishermen and park rangers began
complaining of mysterious helicopters zooming through the still bliss
of the North Cascades forests.

Then the choppers started landing amid campsites.

The flights were not so mysterious, according to federal agents. The
helicopters were stuffed with hundreds of pounds of potent Canadian
marijuana destined for the lucrative market along the Interstate 5
corridor.

U.S. and Canadian law-enforcement officials Thursday revealed the
existence of a large-scale airborne smuggling scheme on the northern
border. They have intercepted four tons of pot, 800 pounds of cocaine
and $1.5 million in cash, and at least 46 people have been arrested in
the United States and Canada.

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