Customs Man’s Curiosity Leads to Seizure of Diamonds
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VANCOUVER, Canada — The Royal Canadian Mounted Police seized an estimated $2 million worth of diamonds when three men were arrested by Canada Customs after a veteran customs officer had his interest aroused while driving to work.
Police found the diamonds stashed in a safety deposit box at the Delta River Inn in suburban Richmond after one man was arrested at the Aldergrove border crossing east of Vancouver and two men were picked up at Vancouver International Airport.
Customs Supt. Harry Dodd said he was driving to work near the Aldergrove crossing “when I saw a car driving along kind of slowly--too slowly to be normal.”
Customs spokesman Clarie Martin said police are taking the diamonds to a gemologist for further appraisal, and are also trying to trace the source of the gems.
Three men, one of them an East Indian national, have been charged with various immigration offenses.
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