Auckland, New Zealand / Toronto, Canada — What began as a casual after-work drink on a warm March evening in 2023 ended in tragedy and exposed a massive international drug trafficking network spanning Canada, India, the United States, and New Zealand. Twenty-one-year-old Aiden Sagala died after unknowingly consuming liquid methamphetamine disguised as beer, imported from Toronto. His death set off a chain of events that led to the largest methamphetamine seizure in New Zealand’s history and revealed Canada’s role as a growing export hub for meth traffickers.
On March 2, 2023, Aiden returned home from work and opened a tall can of “Honey Bear Beer,” a Canadian-labelled beverage gifted to him by his boss. Relaxing with his brother-in-law Billy and a friend, he took a gulp and immediately noticed something was wrong. “Hey bro, does the beer taste salty?” he asked. Billy tried a sip and spat it out, describing it as tasting like “sea salt with chemicals.” Within minutes, Aiden’s health declined rapidly. He phoned his mother in panic as he began screaming, “I want my mom, I’m dying.” His sister Angela, a doctor, rushed home and performed CPR for nearly an hour while waiting for paramedics to arrive. Aiden slipped into a coma and died five days later from multiple organ failure caused by a lethal dose of methamphetamine.
His death triggered a major investigation by New Zealand authorities, leading police to a storage unit in Auckland where they discovered approximately 700 kilograms of liquid methamphetamine — the largest bust in the nation’s history. The drugs were smuggled in beverage containers, including kombucha from the U.S., coconut water from India, and nearly 29,000 cans of “Honey Bear Beer” from Toronto. Investigators found that Aiden’s boss, Himatjit “Jimmy” Kahlon, had been removing cases from the unit. He distributed leftover beer cans, inadvertently including some still filled with liquid meth. Kahlon was arrested and sentenced to 21 years in prison for manslaughter and meth trafficking. Baltej Singh, a respected Auckland businessman from a prominent Indian family, was identified as the key importer and was sentenced to 22 years for importing methamphetamine, ephedrine, and cocaine. He was caught attempting to flee to Dubai.
The investigation revealed Canada’s growing role in the international meth trade. Between 2020 and 2024, New Zealand seized more methamphetamine from Canada than any other country — more than 1,200 kilograms with an estimated street value of $350 million. In 2023 alone, New Zealand intercepted over 800 kilograms of Canadian meth, followed by 174 shipments in 2024. Organized crime groups, including Mexican cartels, are increasingly using the Port of Vancouver as a launching point due to New Zealand’s lucrative drug market, where one kilogram of meth sells for nearly $300,000. “Transnational crime groups look at New Zealand and see a golden nugget,” said Detective Superintendent Greg Williams. “There was just this tonnage coming our way out of Canada.”
Despite clear evidence of Canadian origin, no charges have been laid in Canada related to Aiden’s death or the meth exports. For his family, the lack of accountability is difficult to comprehend. “Shut them down and take them to jail. I’ll be very brutal about this,” said Billy, Aiden’s brother-in-law.
Aiden Sagala’s death was both senseless and pivotal. What seemed like a refreshing drink became a lethal trap — and ultimately helped law enforcement uncover one of the most extensive drug pipelines between Canada and the Pacific. While key figures in New Zealand have been jailed, the tragedy highlights Canada’s growing role in global meth trafficking and the devastating human consequences felt abroad.