Suspected drug pedlar caught by cops on bikes
Canadian police officers on bicycles chased down and caught a Laotianborn alleged drug smuggler who is on the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s list of 10 most-wanted suspects, authorities said yesterday.
Montreal police Commander Miguel Alston said Katay-Khaophone Sychanta, 35, was on a park bench preparing to smoke a cannabis joint with another man when police questioned him last week.
Alston said the officers were not satisfied with his answers after he produced identification that turned out to be a fake Maryland driver’s licence.
Alston said Sychanta tried to flee on foot along a bike path, but officers caught him and arrested him for suspected drug possession.
Fingerprint checks revealed his identity.
Sychanta was arraigned on Friday on charges of drug possession, obstructing the work of police and possessing false documents.
Sychanta is now facing drug charges in Ontario as well as those in the United States.
He was first indicted in 2005 in Michigan. According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he evaded capture on drug charges in the US and continued to supervise a drugsmuggling organisation based near Windsor, Ontario.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement said he has a history of violence and has allegedly made threats against Homeland Security Investigations unit agents and other law enforcement officials. They had been offering a US$25,000 ($34,430) reward for his capture.
“The officers did a great job in pushing the investigation,” Alston said. “They had a feeling he was not who he said he was.”