A Toronto immigration consultant has been found guilty of conspiracy, his name Humberto Simao

This article appeared May the 16 1993 in the Toronto Star.

Humberto Patricio Simao and co-accused Marcos Souza-Costa were found guilty Friday by Mr. Justice Ted Matlow after a two-week trial.

Simao and Souza-Costa were arrested last July after an undercover sting operation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in a downtown restaurant.

Simao later took Souza-Costa to another meeting at the same restaurant. Besides the cocaine, Souza-Costa showed the undercover Mountie photographs of high-powered and illegal guns he could provide.

A Toronto immigration consultant has been found guilty of conspiracy to import and traffic in cocaine.

Humberto Patricio Simao and co-accused Marcos Souza-Costa were found guilty Friday by Mr. Justice Ted Matlow after a two-week trial.

They are to be sentenced June 7.

Simao and Souza-Costa were arrested last July after an undercover sting operation by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in a downtown restaurant.

Sergeant Kevin Payne of the RCMP drug squad testified that he posed as a buyer during a meeting with Simao, who told him he could provide as much as 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of high-grade cocaine a week from a contact in Brazil.

Simao later took Souza-Costa to another meeting at the same restaurant. Besides the cocaine, Souza-Costa showed the undercover Mountie photographs of high-powered and illegal guns he could provide.

After finding the two men guilty, Matlow revoked Simao's $200,000 bail and ordered him jailed pending sentencing.

Souza-Costa, who earlier pleaded guilty to importing a prohibited weapon, has been in custody since his arrest.

In a separate matter, Simao is facing 67 fraud and forgery charges involving the alleged sale of Canadian documents to illegal immigrants and refugee applicants.

Simao is charged with 23 counts of making a false statement, 22 counts of uttering forged documents and 22 counts of aiding and abetting in the making of false statements at an immigration inquiry.

The RCMP say the charges stem from a two-year investigation into the use of government-issued job guarantees.

The forms, known as 2151s, were issued on the basis of bogus information and, in most cases, the jobs didn't exist, police say.

The forms were sold for as much as $2,000 apiece and were later used by refugee applicants at Canadian embassies abroad to gain access to Canada.

The crown plans to call more than 40 witnesses, including several immigration officials from consulates abroad.

A preliminary hearing into the charges is scheduled to start tomorrow at old city hall court