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January 8, 1986 News 985-2131 Classified 986-6222 Circulation 986-1337 40 pages 25¢

NV drug smuggler
jailed in Thailand

A North Vancouver resident has been sentenced
to life in prison in Bangkok, Thailand following
conviction on heroin smuggting charges.

Jiri (George) Benes, 40,
was arrested Feb. 8, 1985 at
Bangkok's international air-

port and taken into custody by the Bangkok Metropoli-

tan Narcotics Unit after be-
ing found in possession of
1,250 grams of pure heroin.
Vancouver RCMP drug
squad Staff Sgt. L.D.
“Smokey’’ Stovern said
Tuesday Benes was well
known to local drug. en-
forcement personnel.

His activities, Stovern
said, had been followed for
“a long time, but he always
managed to elude us.’’

Born in Czechoslovakia,
Benes moved to Canada in
1968 following the Soviet
invasion of that country.

He settled in Vancouver,

and occupied a residence at
#802-540 Lonsdale Avenue
North Vancouver.

He was, Stovern said,
‘‘well known for his
travels.’’

His last visit to the Van-
couver area was in January,
1985, Stovern said.

Benes was sentenced in
Bangkok court on Boxing
Day and will serve at least 10
years in Thailand prisons.

Street value of the heroin
seized, Stovern said, ‘‘would
be well into the millions of
dollars.”

‘Cove

_few . hitches.

‘terminal

NEWS photo Ian Smith

DESPITE
residents’ concerns,
the construction at
B.C. Ferry Cor-
poration’s .Snug
terminal is
progressing with
An- -
ticipated parking
problems at
Horseshoe Bay

“have so. far-: been
‘bypassed. Pictured

above is the
Horseshoe Bay
‘ and its
parking fot. Left, is

a top-deck view of
-the Bowen Island

ferry, presently out
of commission.

nightmare. ©

2: On-the’ opening day of.a-.
$1.4 million overhaul to the.

island’s Snug. Cove B.C.
Ferry. loading «ramp,
everything ‘‘went  great,’’

_said Horseshoe... Bay ferry.
Ken

terminal manager.

! Johnson. .

‘Because ‘the’. 70-car. ferry .
that regularly serves Bowen .

Island commuters’ will -be
unable to dock until sched-
.uled completion of the work
Jan. 20, the B.C. Ferry
Corporation is providing a
two-boat water taxi shuttle
service for island com-
muters.

{sland vehicles
subsequently had

have
to be

' parked in Horseshoe Bay
prior to dock construction. _

LIMITED PARKING

Prior to Tuesday, island
residents such as Laurie
Macdonald pointed to the

limited availability of _park-

ing in Horseshoe Bay.

The B.C. Ferry Corpora-
tion should provide alter-
native free parking to in-
convenienced . Bowen
Islanders, Macdonald said,
who must either gamble on
parking their
Horseshoe Bay streets over-
night or pay $2 to $3 per day
to park in limited lot spaces.

The corporation's staff

vehicles (on -

Bowen Island cars.

- Johnson said he personal- . §
iy did not think the corpora- »
tion should ° be responsible

‘for paying. people’ s parking.

GOOD DEAL -

“It would be’ a tough
thing to administer,’’ §
Johnson said, ‘‘and I think
they are getting a good deal, .
really. The dock has to be
replaced and this is a:slow

time of the year. If the job. J

was done during the summer. §
then there would really bea
disaster.’” :

But Gail Taylor, member
of the Bowen Island ferry
committee, said after the ini-
tial day of water taxi service,
“everything went well. {
have received no complaints
from anybody.”? — ;

Johnson estimated the two
40-person capacity water
taxis carried 300 island -resi-
dents from 6:15 to 8:15 a.m.
Tuesday, ‘‘and there’s -lots
of parking in Horseshoe
Bay. The whole parking
thing is a non-issue.”

See Residants
Page 8

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