A Canadian truck driver was found guilty of smuggling more than $2.5 million of his methamphetamines from the United States to Canada. Sentenced to four years in prison. Whatcom County border crossing.
Sarbjit Chahal of Surrey, British Columbia drives his semi truck bound for Canada at Blaine's Pacific Highway border crossing in 2018. He was arrested after a 33-kg load was found after a Border Service inspection. Methamphetamine hidden in the driver's seat, BC Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a news release on Monday:
The Bellingham Herald reported and Health Canada announced the seizure confirmed he was 100% pure methamphetamine. Chahal was previously charged with importing controlled substances and possessing controlled substances for trafficking purposes.
At trial in 2021, Chahal said he twice held a defense position and after receiving death threats from individuals who asked him to act as a drug trafficker, he said he would claimed to have committed the crime.
A jury found his Chahal guilty on both counts. According to a release, he was sentenced by the Westminster Supreme Court to four years for importing a controlled substance and 30 months for possession. The two sentences are delivered simultaneously.
"We are committed to ensuring Canada's continued security and prosperity, and the success of this joint operation will help us to detect, prevent, deny and impede criminal exploitation of Canada's borders. It shows the effectiveness of the CBSA-RCMP Joint Border Strategy,” said Superintendent Bart Ferreira, BC Chief of the RCMP Federal Serious & Organized Crime Border Security Program,, in a release.
