POLICE HOPE BURLINGTON BUST CRIPPLES CRACK DISTRIBUTION

Police believe the arrest of two people at a suspected crack house has
severed a major line of crack cocaine distribution in Burlington.

About 20 officers, including seven detectives and 10 members of the
Tactical and Rescue Unit and uniformed officers, executed a search warrant
at a house on Glenwood School Drive.

The officers scooped approximately half a pound of cocaine, both powder and
crack, valued at $20,000, a small amount of marijuana, a small amount of
hashish, materials used in the production of crack cocaine and $24,000 in
cash.

Detective Scott Mason, of the Halton drug and morality bureau, said the
arrests concluded an eight-month investigation by Hamilton-Wentworth
police, the Toronto OPP drug unit, and Halton police.

He said the arrest is loosely connected with Hamilton's anti-crack
initiative which started two weeks ago and has netted less than $4,000
worth of drugs in four seizures.

In addition to the drugs and paraphernalia, investigators seized several
items they believed were stolen.

The items are worth approximately $15,000. They included a 35-inch colour
television, a portable CD stereo system, a large quantity of clothing still
bearing price tags and security tags from various stores, four Super Case
computer towers, two 15-inch computer monitors, a colour scanner, a fax
machine, a 20-inch colour TV and VCR, and a Hewlett Packard desk jet printer.

Police also seized a set of brass knuckles.

Frank Dilegge, 40, and Brigitte Laplante, 38, of Glenwood School Drive,
face a host of charges.

They include three counts of possession of stolen property, one count of
possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of marijuana, possession of
cannabis resin for the purpose of trafficking, possession of cocaine for
the purpose of trafficking, possession of crack cocaine, possession of
crack cocaine for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of property
obtained by crime.