Sex tourism charges laid against B.C. man

A 56-year-old Burnaby man faces 35 charges under federal sex tourism lawsfollowing an extensiveRCMP investigation that began back in August 2004.

The charges against Kenneth Robert Klassen includesexual interference, sexual touching, procuring and making child pornography. It's alleged the 35 offences were committed in Cambodia, Colombia and the Philippines between 1998 and 2002.

The investigation was triggered by the interception at Vancouver International Airport of a suspicious package of DVDs from the Philippines.

The DVDs contained illegal images, claim the RCMP,who then monitored the pickup of the parcel and arrested Klassen. Investigators then executed search warrants on Klassen's residence in Burnaby and astorage locker in Vancouver.

RCMP Cpl. Pierre Lemaitre said the search turned up a video camera along with numerous DVDs.

"And the DVDs allegedly contained video clips that depicted Mr. Klassen engaged in illegal sexual conduct involving numerous young females aged from nine to 18 years of age," saidLemaitre.

"The majority of the young women appeared to be of South American or Asian descent," Lemaitre said.

The discovery led to an international investigation that included the FBI,and police in Cambodia and Colombialeading to the location and identification of numerous young alleged victims, and 39 alleged crime scenes, say authorities.

The Crown then approved 35 charges related to 17 alleged victims.

Klassen was arrested again last week without incident in Burnaby and made his first court appearanceon Mondaywhen he was remanded in custody.

In Canada, the child sex tourism law was enacted in June 2002.