Hearing set in drug case
By Delon Shurtz on June 18, 2021.
LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com A Calgary man accused of trying to smuggle millions of dollars worth of drugs into Alberta from the U.S. is finally scheduled to have a preliminary hearing, but not until the end of the year.After trying for several weeks to arrange a date for the preliminary inquiry, Calgary lawyer Alan Fay confirmed Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court the hearing will be held Dec. 9-10.
A preliminary hearing is typically held to allow defence an opportunity to hear Crown evidence, and help the judge determine if there is enough evidence to warrant a trial.
Amarpreet Singh Sandhu, who elected April 13 to be tried by a Court of Queen’s bench judge, is charged with drug smuggling and drug possession for the purpose of trafficking. The charges relate to a record haul of methamphetamine officers with the Canada Border Services Agency uncovered at the Coutts border on Christmas Day of last year.
Officers referred a semi-truck hauling produce for further inspection, and while examining the shipment, discovered 228 kilograms of methamphetamine. The CBSA reported the drugs were worth about $28.5 million on the street and are equivalent to 2.28 million individual dosages.
The agency said at the time, the bust was the largest seizure of methamphetamine at a land border crossing in Canada.
Officers arrested the driver and turned him and the evidence over to Alberta RCMP.
“It is because of CBSA officers’ diligence while screening essential goods that this record amount of methamphetamine did not reach our streets or cause harm to our communities,” Ben Tame, CBSA southern Alberta director, said in a news release following the drug bust.
Sandhu, who was released on bail Jan. 14, was not required to attend court with his lawyer Thursday, but he will have to attend the preliminary hearing in December. 3
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