Glen Korstrom
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Aug 21/98) - Two Inuvik men are in custody after police stopped a truck carrying eight half-ounce baggies of marijuana, one half-once baggie of hallucinogenic mushrooms and about $27,000.

The 47-year-old and 34-year-old were each charged with two counts of possession of drugs for the purpose of trafficking and one count of illegal possession of liquor.

The two will appear in territorial court in Fort McPherson today.

At a bail hearing in Inuvik Aug. 17, Const. Mike Nussbaumer said the large amount of cash in the 1986 brown pickup truck raised concerns the two men might try to flee while out on bail.

"We're not talking about the odd joint or $100," he said to justice of the peace Davis Mitchell.

"We're talking about a large amount of drugs and a large amount of cash."

Police also found a debt list with names of people owed money totalling more than $4,200.

Mitchell rejected court worker Doris Aubin's request for the men to be released until the court date as long as they had people vouch for their appearance and provide a bail deposit.

The truck contained fishing gear as well as a box with photos and several sets of dress pants, shirts and shoes.

Both men said police denied them their right to make phone calls while in detention. One of the accused said he was not allowed to wash.

One of the men said the money in the car was intended to buy a vehicle farther south and was acquired by cashing mutual funds and from selling furniture.

He said it would be pointless for him not to appear in court as police had seized virtually all he owns.

"It would be senseless for me to leave," he said at the bail hearing.

"There's a good chance this charge will be beaten in the end."