The driver of a semi-trailer nabbed while smuggling $50.7 million of methamphetamine into Manitoba has been released on bail.Canada Border Services Agency seized 404.2 kilograms of the synthetic drug on September 14 at the Boissevain/North Dakota crossing in what authorities said is the biggest narcotics seizure in Prairie history.That’s an estimated four million doses — three for every resident in a province with communities ravaged by the potent, highly-addictive narcotic. Driver Komalpreet Singh Sidhu, 29, was ordered to wear an ankle bracelet and pay a $20,000 cash deposit in surety, his wife serving as a surety and a friend giving a $100,000 surety, in Brandon court Thursday.The Winnipeg resident must abide by a curfew, have a cell phone with no messaging apps that’s not password protected and isn’t allowed to drive a truck. He was ordered to surrender his passport to RCMP.Sidhu faces two charges: importation of methamphetamine and; possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.Court heard Sudhu, who has permanent Indian National resident status, immigrated to Canada in 2014 and has worked as a truck driver since 2015. He has no criminal record.Crown attorney Mathew Sinclair unsuccessfully argued that Sidhu should remain in custody to preserve public confidence in the justice system and was a flight risk.Sinclair said the Crown continues to build a strong case against Sidhu, whom he alleged is part of a high-level trafficking organization.“This methamphetamine is not indigenous to Canada,” said Sinclair, according to the CBC. “It came from somewhere else and into Canada to flood our streets and poison our people.”Defence lawyer Katherine Smith told the court that under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms her client is presumed innocent. She claimed he had no knowledge of the drug cargo and that drugs can be loaded on without the driver knowing.“The version of events presented to Crown counsel by police is a coloured version of the facts … based on the assumption that blind couriers don't exist.”“Many of the allegations being made to have Mr. Sidhu look nefarious are, in fact, false,” Smith told the court.Sinclair told the court that when border officers screened the semi towing a trailer for a compliance check, they discovered 200 individually wrapped packages in 10 duffle bags in the trailer.A phone belonging to Sidhu began a two-minute countdown than wiped the data when authorities plugged it in.This is consistent with high-level drug traffickers, said Sinclair.Sidhu told police he had three phones, including one US and one Canadian.According to the prosecutor, Sidhu told police he hadn’t seen the load he was hauling, but police discovered he sent a photo of the load to his boss.The defence disputed this.Three suspicious stops in California were found on the semi-truck’s GPS system, including one stop when the system was disengaged.Court heard Sidhu spent 50 minutes in a “less frequented area,” where law officials allege he picked up the drugs, before travelling on to load up with furniture destined for Winnipeg.Smith provided a map of the direct route to Winnipeg and argued that the stop was not “off route” as police allege.The Crown told court that during Sidhu's short employment with the trucking firm he only wanted solo trips to California.Judge Patrick Sullivan said the size of the seizure and the type of drug was serious, but he was satisfied with the bail plan.Sinclair voiced concerns that considering the gravity of the charges, the release conditions might not end Sidhu's alleged criminal behaviour.“Smuggling of this quantity of methamphetamine cannot fall into Mr. Sidhu's lap … he did not get involved with this level of trafficking overnight,” said Sinclair.“It takes years to earn the level of trust that he gained to smuggle in 406 kilograms of methamphetamine into Canada.”Evidence collected hasn’t been disclosed to the defence for examination, said Smith.“These drugs were destined not only for the streets of Winnipeg but throughout Manitoba and beyond,” said Insp. Joe Telus, division intelligence officer with RCMP federal policing at a press conference announcing the seizure.Telus said the size indicates the transport involved organized crime at the local, national, and international level.
The driver of a semi-trailer nabbed while smuggling $50.7 million of methamphetamine into Manitoba has been released on bail.Canada Border Services Agency seized 404.2 kilograms of the synthetic drug on September 14 at the Boissevain/North Dakota crossing in what authorities said is the biggest narcotics seizure in Prairie history.That’s an estimated four million doses — three for every resident in a province with communities ravaged by the potent, highly-addictive narcotic. Driver Komalpreet Singh Sidhu, 29, was ordered to wear an ankle bracelet and pay a $20,000 cash deposit in surety, his wife serving as a surety and a friend giving a $100,000 surety, in Brandon court Thursday.The Winnipeg resident must abide by a curfew, have a cell phone with no messaging apps that’s not password protected and isn’t allowed to drive a truck. He was ordered to surrender his passport to RCMP.Sidhu faces two charges: importation of methamphetamine and; possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.Court heard Sudhu, who has permanent Indian National resident status, immigrated to Canada in 2014 and has worked as a truck driver since 2015. He has no criminal record.Crown attorney Mathew Sinclair unsuccessfully argued that Sidhu should remain in custody to preserve public confidence in the justice system and was a flight risk.Sinclair said the Crown continues to build a strong case against Sidhu, whom he alleged is part of a high-level trafficking organization.“This methamphetamine is not indigenous to Canada,” said Sinclair, according to the CBC. “It came from somewhere else and into Canada to flood our streets and poison our people.”Defence lawyer Katherine Smith told the court that under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms her client is presumed innocent. She claimed he had no knowledge of the drug cargo and that drugs can be loaded on without the driver knowing.“The version of events presented to Crown counsel by police is a coloured version of the facts … based on the assumption that blind couriers don't exist.”“Many of the allegations being made to have Mr. Sidhu look nefarious are, in fact, false,” Smith told the court.Sinclair told the court that when border officers screened the semi towing a trailer for a compliance check, they discovered 200 individually wrapped packages in 10 duffle bags in the trailer.A phone belonging to Sidhu began a two-minute countdown than wiped the data when authorities plugged it in.This is consistent with high-level drug traffickers, said Sinclair.Sidhu told police he had three phones, including one US and one Canadian.According to the prosecutor, Sidhu told police he hadn’t seen the load he was hauling, but police discovered he sent a photo of the load to his boss.The defence disputed this.Three suspicious stops in California were found on the semi-truck’s GPS system, including one stop when the system was disengaged.Court heard Sidhu spent 50 minutes in a “less frequented area,” where law officials allege he picked up the drugs, before travelling on to load up with furniture destined for Winnipeg.Smith provided a map of the direct route to Winnipeg and argued that the stop was not “off route” as police allege.The Crown told court that during Sidhu's short employment with the trucking firm he only wanted solo trips to California.Judge Patrick Sullivan said the size of the seizure and the type of drug was serious, but he was satisfied with the bail plan.Sinclair voiced concerns that considering the gravity of the charges, the release conditions might not end Sidhu's alleged criminal behaviour.“Smuggling of this quantity of methamphetamine cannot fall into Mr. Sidhu's lap … he did not get involved with this level of trafficking overnight,” said Sinclair.“It takes years to earn the level of trust that he gained to smuggle in 406 kilograms of methamphetamine into Canada.”Evidence collected hasn’t been disclosed to the defence for examination, said Smith.“These drugs were destined not only for the streets of Winnipeg but throughout Manitoba and beyond,” said Insp. Joe Telus, division intelligence officer with RCMP federal policing at a press conference announcing the seizure.Telus said the size indicates the transport involved organized crime at the local, national, and international level.
