Cheezit! the cops!

For months now, CBC Radio has been airing items about "alleged" corruption in the Niagara (Canada) Regional Police Department. There have been stories of drug abuse and drug smuggling across the bridges connecting Ontario with those terrible border towns on the New York side of the Niagara River. But for some reason most of the lamestream media have downplayed or outright ignored the story. Until today.

Today Niagara's finest acknowledged, at last, that yes, there has been an investigation. And yes, some current and past members of the force are involved. Charges have been laid, not just under the toothless Police Act, but under the Criminal Code.

Was it the problem with "substances" that just couldn't be hushed up any more? Well, errr, you might say that. The serious crime which led to today's charges was... wait for it... cheese smuggling.

That's right! Seems its not just Packers fans who are cheeseheads. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Cheese Squads of the US Department of Homeland Security and the Canada Border Services Ehgency, Police Constable Scott Heron, 39, former Niagara Regional police officer Casey Langelaan, 48, and Fort Erie resident Bernie Pollino, 44, were arrested and "charged in regard to a large-scale smuggling scheme to distribute cheese products and other food items into Canada," according to a statement issued by the regional police.

According to the news release, over $200,000 worth of cheese and other products were purchased and distributed to pizzerias and other low joints for an estimated profit of more than $165,000. Charges laid against include conspiracy to commit the indictable offence of smuggling goods under the Criminal Code and Customs Act, plus offences of breach of trust; making false or deceptive statements; evasion of duties; and acquiring, keeping, and/or disposing of illegally imported goods. Oh yes, and smuggling.

The Niagara Regional Police are also investigating some of their officers with respect to steroid use and possible trafficking in performance-enhancing drugs, but it was the cheese that really took the copcake. (Geddit?)

Agent 3 will keep us posted on whether any Ontario judge will break with the tradition of acquitting any officer charged with any offence because, after all, it wouldn't do to shake the public's confidence in the police and so-called justice system. Stay tuned.