MAN HELD IN VANCOUVER IS DRUG KINGPIN, U.S. ALLEGES

A Mexican man in custody in Vancouver faces possible extradition to
the U.S. for allegedly organizing the shipment of huge quantities of
drugs inside refrigerated trailers.

David Orozco is wanted in the U.S. on multiple counts of drug
trafficking after more than 5,000 kilograms of cocaine and 5,000 kgs
of marijuana were seized in Texas.

Also seized was more than $5 million US in cash.

U.S. authorities allege that after the drug arrests of his brothers in
1993, Orozco took over the U.S. end of the drug conspiracy, hiring
truck drivers and renting warehouses in Texas.

Prosecutor Chris Greenwood yesterday told B.C. Supreme Court Madam
Justice Janice Dillon that Orozco was implicated by three former truck
drivers who have become co-operating witnesses.

The drugs were hidden in the trailers' roofs for trips from Mexico to
Texas, then removed in warehouses.

Money from the sale of the drugs was then placed in the hidden
compartments and returned to Mexico.

The conspiracy is alleged to have involved 12 to 14 other Mexicans
from 1993 to 1999, a contention challenged by Orozco's lawyer, Brock
Martland.

Orozco flew to Vancouver last April, possibly to meet a friend or
family member who lives in Washington state and was coming to B.C. to
meet him.

Orozco was arrested on an immigration matter.

Dillon reserved judgment to Nov. 4.