EX-BORDER GUARD SENTENCED IN U.S. ON MARIJUANA CHARGE

Vancouver -- Former Canadian border guard Altaf Merali, 37, was
sentenced in Seattle yesterday to serve 18 months in a U.S. jail for
conspiracy to distribute marijuana.

Mr. Merali was caught in May trying to smuggle 100 kilograms of
marijuana into the United States.

He said at the time that an Indo-Canadian gang threatened to harm his
family if he did not take the drugs across the border.

He later pleaded guilty under a plea-bargain agreement that was sealed
by the U.S. court.