Fri. Nov 8th, 2024

Ontario Trucker Convicted in Record $25.5 Million Meth Smuggling Case at Windsor Border

A Toronto-area truck driver, Mohamed Ahmed Abdirahman, has been found guilty of attempting to smuggle nearly 200 kilograms of methamphetamine into Canada, marking the largest meth seizure by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario, since 2012. The drugs, valued at over $25.5 million, were discovered during a secondary inspection on December 24, 2019.

Abdirahman, a Mississauga resident employed by a Brampton-based company, was returning from a 14-day trip to California when his vehicle was selected for a thorough check at the border. During the search, CBSA officers uncovered multiple containers filled with a white crystalline substance inside the cab of his tractor-trailer, later confirmed to be methamphetamine.

The discovery led to a judge-alone trial where Abdirahman faced charges of importing methamphetamine and possession of the drug for the purpose of trafficking. Despite the defense suggesting that the drugs could have been planted without his knowledge, Justice Bruce G. Thomas found overwhelming evidence against Abdirahman, including his suspicious activities such as a quick trip to Mexico and communications with a contact saved as El Chapo.

Justice Thomas highlighted that no fingerprints were found on the drug packages, but a roll of tape used to seal one of the drug boxes matched a roll found behind the driver’s seat in Abdirahman’s truck, suggesting his direct involvement in sealing the drugs.

The case, described by Justice Thomas as primarily circumstantial, still presented enough evidence to dismiss any reasonable doubt of Abdirahman’s guilt. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for the end of June. Abdirahman’s lawyer, Jessica Grbevski, emphasized his role as a primary breadwinner with two young children and a clean prior criminal record, hoping for these factors to be considered during sentencing.

Abdirahman has been on bail since his arrest in 2019 and has complied with all set conditions during this period.

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