From the Okanagan Saturday



PENTICTON -- Two helicopters abandoned on the Penticton Indian reserve
Thursday, less than a quarter of a mile apart, have triggered an
investigation by the RCMP, Canada Customs and Transport Canada. "Yesterday,
I believe in the afternoon, there was two of our band members cutting wood
on the north portion of the reserve land base," said Penticton Indian band
Chief Stewart Phillip on Friday

A helicopter landed near the men, and the sole occupant jumped out with a
duffel bag. When he got closer to the men, the pilot apparently said,
"You're not my ride," and ran away

The men reported the incident to the tribal police, who called the RCMP

"The site was secured by the tribal police service, and this morning word
was put out to the relevant agencies," Phillip said

The tribal police were to wait by the helicopter until a Kelowna team was
flown in by helicopter

"They were a bit upset because the tribal police were not waiting by the
helicopter as agreed, but it turns out they were waiting by a second
helicopter, a short distance from the first." The helicopters were less than
a quarter of a mile from each other, said Phillip, but both were hidden from
view by small trees. One of the helicopter's rotors, likely from the tail of
the aircraft, was broken from striking a tree

Though the pilots' identities are unknown, one of the helicopters has been
traced to Vernon, and the other to New Westminster

"I don't think there is any doubt this is drug related," said Phillip. "Why
else would they be up there? They landed in a very concealed location." He
also pointed to a high level of interest by the various agencies -Canada
Customs and Transport Canada -- and the value of the helicopters as
indicators of the seriousness of the situation, suggesting a link to
organized crime

The aircraft are worth an estimated $1 million, and the band is working on a
seizure notice under trespassing law

Phillip wonders if band members are involved, since the men who were
approached were natives

He said he thought long and hard about bringing the story forward to the
media. "When you live in the middle of a situation like this and more
details are coming forward each day, it becomes pretty intense," he said

He decided the public needed to be informed

"I just think we have to expose this and let all levels of government, the
RCMP and the public know it's a very serious problem that we are dealing
with," said Phillip, who is committed to cleaning up his community.