20
September
INTERNET ‘DATE RAPE’ DRUG TRAFFICKING RINGS BUSTED
Authorities broke up four Internet drug-trafficking rings operating in the United States and Canada, making more than 100 arrests and seizing enough chemicals for 25 million doses of the date rape drug gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, and similar substances. Federal, state and local police began the investigation, called Operation Webslinger, two years ago. It ranged from Internet drug rings in St. Louis; Detroit; San Diego; Mobile, Alabama; Sparta, Tennessee; Buffalo, New York and Quebec City. Daniel Pelchat of St. Etienne, Quebec, described by Assistant U.S. Attorney James Kennedy in Buffalo as