Author Topic: My Union Business Manager Got Busted with Drugs (Read 375 times)

eS El Duque · « **on:** January 25, 2007, 04:55:29 PM »

Salim Jiwa, The Province
Published: Thursday, January 25, 2007

A B.C. union boss faces 10 years in a U.S. jail if he is convicted on a charge of trafficking $4.3 million worth of cocaine.

Perley Holmes, business manager of the B.C. Ironworkers Union, Local 97, was arrested last week near a remote border crossing at Chesaw in Washington state, southeast of Osoyoos.

U.S. authorities said when border patrol agents pounced on Holmes for crossing the border illegally they found two backpacks containing 62 kilograms of cocaine with a street value of $4.3 million.

They said another man who was crossing the border with Holmes fled back into Canada and escaped.

A Spokane, Wash., television report said Holmes appeared in a magistrate's court yesterday and was ordered held without bail.

Holmes is charged with possession with intent to distribute a controlled drug.

Holmes has led protests in B.C. against the hiring of foreign workers for Olympic projects.

In September, he was at the fore-front of an ironworkers' protest in downtown Vancouver when they walked off the job to protest against the hiring of foreign workers.

At that time, Holmes issued an indirect threat to derail Olympic projects.

"We're on every major project at Olympic venues," he said.

"This [one-hour work stoppage] is just a small indication of what will happen. I would do everything I can if they bring in foreign workers to do this work to destroy us. We will do everything."

Union leaders were shocked at his arrest and said the charge had nothing to do with the union.

"We learned of the arrest of our local's business manager, Perley Holmes, late last Friday," said Dave Beatty, who is Local 97's president.

"Needless to say this is a shock to us, and we immediately launched our own internal investigation."

The union has brought in an external auditor to check for any discrepancies, as is required under the union's constitution.

Beatty said the internal investigation will be done by next week and the union will take all necessary steps to protect its integrity.

Nutty · « **Reply #1 on:** January 25, 2007, 05:02:23 PM »

lol.....what a shame

Samoan Enforcer · « **Reply #2 on:** January 25, 2007, 05:23:12 PM »

what a jerk. drugs are destroying society

Smoke Break · « **Reply #3 on:** January 25, 2007, 05:23:45 PM »

if I was moving that much coke across the border i'd invest in a secret compartment or something other than my back pack. I've gone across with my family and they still checked our bags.

eS El Duque · « **Reply #4 on:** January 26, 2007, 05:02:21 AM »

^^funny thing is..they were in a truck tryin to cross a certain part of the border...then cops found them by following their footprints that were in the snow...finally finding them behind a bush lol

Nutty · « **Reply #5 on:** January 26, 2007, 06:50:57 AM »

Quote from: eS El Duque on January 26, 2007, 05:02:21 AM

^^funny thing is..they were in a truck tryin to cross a certain part of the border...then cops found them by following their footprints that were in the snow...finally finding them behind a bush lol

Lmfao, crack up. A manager doing the dirty work, fuck dat, I'd get my workers to do that.