The Prince Of Pot

Could Face Stiff Jail Sentence If Prosecuted In U.S.

(CBS) 
DEA special agent Rodney Benson took 60 Minutes up in a helicopter to see some of the ways "BC Bud" is smuggled into the United States.

Benson pointed out the border, which in this case turned out to be a road. This road divides the two countries, half of it is in Canada, half in the United States.

The border stretches 4,000 miles, often through rural areas that are hard to police. Some drug traffickers just run across the border with hockey bags full of "BC Bud," others have more sophisticated means.

Marijuana smugglers dug a tunnel that started in a Quonset hut on the Canadian side, went under the road, and ended up in the living room of a house on the other side.

"Their plan was to have that tunnel turn into a gold mine and push in thousands of pounds of marijuana (up) into the country," Benson explained.

"Well, guess they put a lot of hard work into it," Simon remarked.

"Yeah, but it didn’t pay off at the end of the day. We were there waiting for them," Benson replied.

Much of the marijuana crossing the border is smuggled by Asian and motorcycle gangs but the U.S. government says Marc Emery is responsible for more marijuana in the United States than any known gang.

Larry Campbell, a Canadian senator who formerly served on the drug squad of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, is well aware of Marc Emery.

Asked what he thinks of U.S. officials' stance that Emery is a major drug trafficker, Campbell says laughing, "Well, if he, if they consider that, then they have bigger problems than I can even imagine. There’s simply no way he’s a major anything."

"What would the public reaction be here if Marc Emery is extradited to the United States?" Simon asked.

"I think there’d be outrage," Campbell replied.

They might be outraged that the long arm of the U.S. law reached up into Canada to press charges against someone many Canadians consider harmless.

John McKay says he thinks Emery will be extradited.

"Do you realize what a political issue it’s gonna be in Canada?" Simon asked.

"We have full respect for the laws of Canada, for the sovereignty of Canada. We respect their laws and they respect our laws and he’s violated our laws," said McKay.

Actually, the laws aren’t all that different, it’s the punishment that is. For Emery, it’s the difference between a modest fine or hard time. He awaits his fate in a simple apartment — he’s never lived the lavish life of a drug dealer, since he claims to have given most of his money to the cause.

He doesn’t face any charges in Canada but, if he’s extradited to the United States, he’ll face all the charges in his indictment, which include selling and distributing marijuana.