Charges withdrawn against drug smuggling suspects

Two men accused of smuggling drugs into Canada at the Coutts border crossing in 2016 are no longer facing criminal charges.

Charges of drug possession for the purpose of trafficking and importing drugs against Gurpreet Singh and Gurpreet Cheema were withdrawn Thursday in Lethbridge provincial court. The Crown, however, did not explain why the charges were withdrawn.

The two men, who had previously elected to be tried by Court of Queen’s Bench judge without a jury and were set to have a preliminary hearing in July, were charged after a officers at the Coutts border searched a commercial truck as it entered Canada Sept. 2. The officers discovered 60 packages of cocaine, weighing 69 kilograms, hidden in a load of TVs.

Two days after their arrest at Coutts, officers made another unrelated bust after a commercial truck with a load of novelty items destined for market in Alberta was searched. Concealed within the load were 34 packages of cocaine, weighing 40.45 kilograms.

The driver, 34-year-old Tejinderpal Singh Sandhu, was charged with importing drugs and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. Sandhu previously elected to be tried by Queen’s Bench judge and jury, and is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in November and December.

Border officers uncovered yet a third shipment of drugs Oct. 10 when a commercial vehicle hauling produce to an Alberta business was searched and more than 80 bricks of cocaine were found hidden throughout the cab of the vehicle. The total weight of the seizure was 92.74 kg.

Jasmail Singh Sander, 53, of B.C., and Parmjeet Singh Sandhu, 31, of Ontario, were charged with drug possession for the purpose of trafficking and importing drugs. They are scheduled for a preliminary hearing in August.

In all three drug busts the commercial trucks were operating for commercial trucking companies based in British Columbia, officials reported.

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