Eight men charged

om puge 4

wed vials of anabolic steroids, a Glock
Mandgun, a gas mask, a large canister
bf pepper spray, a crossbow, Rolex
vatches, Money-counters, a safe. a
uzuki motorcycle, 3 1997 Jeep
Cherokee and a 1997 BMW.
, The items were seized by North
fancouver RCMP drug squad mem-
rs during. a 10-month under cover
mperation that culminated on

Meeionday with court appearances by

ven men.
“This is one of the largest recent
izures in the Lower Mainland’s
Mistory from an undercover drug
meppcration,” said Const. Seaman.
Seaman said most of the drugs
isplayed were sold to the officers.
Seaman said that police were
‘making the connection” with this
vestigation to Asian drug traffick-
rs in Vancouver.
Eight men were charged with:
@ a total of 23 counts of trafficking
narcotic (mainly cocaine);
i” two charges of possessing a nar-
merotic for trafficking purposes;
fee weapons offences;
me and 16 charges of possessin~ the
m@erocecds of crime.
Charged are Ricky Chu, 24, of
Wancouver, and North Vancouver
sidents David Darmadi, 22;
atthew Pierotte, 18; Neil Nijjer,
2; Aaron Leslie, 18; Rudy
vignoni, 20; and a young offender.
Canada-wide warrant was
Bsued for the arrest of Julian Davis,
m4

Another man is expected to be
harged in. connection with the
vestigation.

Police allege that Chu was the

Gold’s to
bsorb
members

: rom page ¥

§. Although. many Empire
ients with paid memberships
ay balk at. having to. shell out
itional funds, Rankin says the
ve is legal. According to the
¢ text in the membership con-
acts signed by all members,
mpire reserves the right to
fovide new facilities and pro-
rams at an additional fee.”
2In addition, the $39.95 is a
imall price to pay for what most”
: f agree to call a superior
ty, said Rankin. .
“You can’t provide newer,
sigrer, better for nothing,” said
dn. “Even if we opened a
w club I'd have to charge con-
Aderably more.”
- Rankin came to the conclu-
megon it was pointless to continue
Spoking for a new Empire loca-
ion when he realized the only
able neighborhood for reloca-
Beon was already occupied by
old’s Gym.
“We were well aware of the
oblems Steve is having because
br. years we've had the same
gaoblems,” confirmed Gold’s
ym” co-owner Roy
aumgartner. “The problem and

oo ature of this industry is you need

lot of space but you can’t pay
p rates.”
&  Rankin’s lease at the cxisting
mcation expires at the end of this
; Bear and is unlikely to have been
memerticwed because the property is
; eduled for fisture redevelop-
manent.
_ With the pending redevelop-
hent, Rankin said it was particu-
Marly difficult to continuc to court
members.
“When you have a sign out
maegont that says rezoning applica-
Maori you're just not gonna get any

tuziness,” said

fast Vancouver drug supplier to
Darmadi, the North Vancouver dis-
tributor of the drugs.

The seven men appeared in
North Vancouver provincial court
on Tuesday.

Chu was releas-d on $160,000
bail, Darmadi on $60,000 and
Avignoni on
$5,000 bail.
The bail was
in the form
of a. surety,
meaning that
no cash was
given to the
court.

The other
accused men
did not post
any bail.

The men
are slated for
a court
appearance in
North Vancouver on Oct. 1 to fix a
date for trial.

Police noted that Darmadi, the
alleged North Vancouver drug sup-
plier, was a friend of Mohammad
Mirhadi, whose accused killers also
made a court appearance in North
Vancouver provincial court on
Tuesday.

Mohammad Mirhadi was shot at
close range in a Lower Lonsdale cin-
ema in February.

Darmadi sat with the Mirhadi
family as accused killers Michael
Caster, 19, and Jon Orrelo Moroury,
18, made a brief court appearance.

Police sources say Mohammed
Mirhadi was involved in criminal
activities, including the drug trade,
at the time of his death.

NV re sident
Devid Darmadi
... released on
$60,000 bail.

Friday, September 19, 1997 ~ North Shere News — 3

+

an
+ a MATTHEW, PIEROTTE

2!

NIJJER

NEWS photo Mike Wahufield

COCAINE, heroin, weapons and the lilegal proceeds of crime
were all part of a massiv
during a 16-month undercover operation.

e seizure by the NV RCMP drug squad

law sparks

By fan Noble

News Reporter
fan@nsnews.com

NORTH Vancouver District has another
bylaw-based lawsuit on its hands.

M.A.N. Estates and McKenzie Enterprises Ltd —
which have ship and barge building, repair and mainte-
nance businesses on their lands off Dollarton Highway
~— launched a lawsuit against the district in B.C.
Supreme Court on Sept. 11.

According to plainuff lawyer Peter Kenward, the prop-
erties had beeti zoned industrial since 1920.

But in 1990, the lands were designated as Parks,
Recreation and Wilderness in the districi’s fong-range
Official Community Plan. Then, a month ago, the district
passed a temporary bylaw amendment that established a
40-foot height limit for structures on the Dollarton lands
owned by the McKenzie and Noble families.

“The combination of the district’s various decisions has
left them effectively twisting in the wind,” said Kenward.

Even though the properties have been designated as
park, district council has not gone ahead with a plan to pur-
chase the site, said Kenward. He argues that the parks des-
ignation is invalid unless council establishes a funding pro-
fam to purchase the sites, viiich the district estimated in

994 could cost $6.4 million.

In addition, two residential developments for the site
have been rejected by council.

Now, the McKenzies and Nobles say the height limita-
tion effectively prevents capital investments in the busi-
nesses.

According to a conszultant’s rt, McKenzie Barge
must anticipate constructing buildings with a minimum
height of 80 feet to remain competitive in the ship build-
ing and repair business.

“A lesser height will restrict its marketability, particular-
ly in the repair and refit sector,” Eric Dixon, of Dixon
Naval Architects Ltd., said in a report to Robert McKenzic.

The end result of the bylaws, said Kenward, is that:

@ there is no prospect for parks acquisition in the foresee-
able | furure; for residential bh

@ there is no prospect fur residential or public amenity
development in the foreseeable firture; and

Height restrictions limit investment, say firms

B the district is now effectively prohibiting the capital
investment necessary for the continuing viability of the
industrial use.

Kenward said that the last thing the qwo families want
isa legal dispute with the district, but they feel the district's
actions have Jeft them with no other option.

However North Vancouver District Mayor Don Beil
said the companies could apply to council for a variance
from the height restriction.

The district would consider the request against other
factors, he said.

“The door is not totally closed to them getting an
increased height,” he said. “But the reason those two prop-
erties were treated differently was because of the proximi-
ty to residential devel-
opment.”

Other waterfront
businesses were hit
with 2 60-foot height
limitation while the
Waterfront Industrial
Task Force reviews the
official community

plan.

Bell said that by
including the proper-
ties in the review,
council acknowledges
their industrial nature.

Kenward said that
all indications are that the process leading to the district’s
land-use choice will be a long one.

He added that, after seven years of indecision on their
lands, the Nobles and McKenzies can’t wait for further
substantial delays.

The Nobles and McKenzies hope to get what Kenward
called the “downzoning” bylaw — and its 40-foot restric-
tion — quashed through legal action. And the plaintiffs
want the Parks, Recreation and Wilderness designation
given to the lands in 1990 set aside.

A court date has not yet been sct.

Meanwhile, an October court date is anticipated in the
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s challenge
of district bylaws that prohibit residential development on
hundreds of acres of CMHC land.

“The combination
of the district’s
various decisions
has left them effec-
tively twisting in
the wind.”

Charged
ex-Leo
irom

W. Van
school

By Robert Galster

News Reporter
robert@nsnews.com

A former B.C. Lions
football player charged
with the murder of his
stepmother and attempt-
ed murder of his father
honed his football skills
at West Vancouver sec-
ondary school.

Mark Piniskern, 25, gradu-
ated from the school in 1992
and later attended Washington
State University.

“It’s really tragic. At first
when I heard about this |
thought it was his mother
because she used to go to all the
games,” said Football B.C."s

Larry Reda.
“Obviously
he has had
some medical
problems.”
Pimiskern
turned him-
self in to.
police fast
. Saturday,
= telling them
MARK he had shor
Pimiskern someone.
in Grade 12. Acting on
information
he provided, the police found
the body of Pimiskern’s step-
mother in a Kitsilano home.

In the meantime, his father
appeared at a nearby gas station
and requested an ambulance.

Herwig Pimiskern had been
shot in the stomach and col-
lapsed before the ambulance
arrived to transport him to
Vancouver General Hospital.
He was later listed in stable
condition. :

Pimiskern’s brother Frank
also plays for
the Lions and
was informed
of the inci-
dent shortly
before takin
to the fiel
for last
Saturday’s
game against
Edmonton at
B.C. Place.

His broth-
ers Konrad
and‘ Frank
also attended
West Vancouver
school.

Pimiskern, 2 Lions first-
round draft choice, played in all
of the Lions games last season,
but was cut this year because of
medical reasons.

Teammate and Carson
Graham vaduate Sean
Millington said he isn’t particu-
larly close to either brother, but
was nevertheless saddened by
the ‘Anythi :

“Anything like that is a pret-
ty major tragedy and all of us
(Lions players) are just praying
and offering their condolences
to the family,” said Millington.

Pimisakern’s high school
coach Gary Schwertfeger and
mother Sue did not return the
News’ calls” to press time
Thursday.

PARK
Pimiskern
as a Lion.

secondary