Pastukhov considered ‘gatekeeper’ to Vice empire

The offers Pastukhov allegedly made the members of the group varied, from just a free trip and spending money to a payment of $10,000.

The plan was to fly to Las Vegas, collect the suitcases pre-packed with drugs, travel to Los Angeles and then fly direct to Australia, where they were to leave the luggage.

While court heard that Wang needed money to pay off student loans, it wasn’t the main reason for his agreeing to mule the drugs.

“He wanted to ingratiate himself to Slava,” Crown prosecutor Dimitrios Kapeleris told court. Because of his influence at Vice, Pastukhov was “a gatekeeper.”

“The major motivator was to maintain a working relationship with Slava,” said Kapeleris.

As planning progressed, however, Wang tried to pull out. When he called Pastukhov and told him, court heard, Pastukhov hung up on him. Wang drew frightening conclusions after being told the operation was for a Mexican drug cartel known for spectacular brutality.

Wang also worried he was losing his connection to Vice. “I hope this doesn’t jeopardize our working relationship,” Wang texted Pastukhov afterwards, according to evidence presented in court.

In response, Wang received a call from an associate of Pastukhov, court heard, in which Wang was told if he didn’t co-operate in the trip, “Bad things would happen to him and his family,” said Wang’s lawyer, Chris Watson. Wang was reminded that Pastukhov had access to his home address from his employee file at Vice, court heard. Further, Pastukhov would ensure all doors in his musical career would be closed, according to evidence heard by the court.

If he went on the trip, however, Pastukhov would make sure he got all the publicity he needed, court heard.

Wang agreed to go through with it.

Gardner, meanwhile, shared an apartment with Pastukhov and says he knew he was involved in the drug trade; once, he saw $20,000 in a case, the alleged proceeds from drug activity, court heard. A well-reviewed electronic music artist and DJ, Gardner said he was badgered into agreeing to a drug run for Pastukhov even though he didn’t need the money. He said yes “just to humour him.” But once Pastukhov copied Gardner’s passport and sent it to others involved the operation, he felt trapped, court was told.

He claimed Pastukhov said Gardner and his girlfriend could be hurt if he backed out, court heard, and that he heard stories of others being tortured for refusing to go.

Before flying to Las Vegas, Gardner was texting Pastukhov about the smuggler’s “safeguard” plans, according to text messages retreived from Gardner’s phone and entered as evidence.

“I’ll need you to get $1 and send me the serial number. Then keep that bill separate and safe,” Pastukhov texted Gardner on Dec. 19, according to court evidence.

“It’s a $1 now?... It was $5 before,” Gardner said.

“That is the American safeguard. In Aus it’s $5..cause that’s their smallest bill,” Pastukhov replied, according to court documents.

The evidence revealed how the smugglers used pre-arranged signals to provide checks on the couriers’ activity. The mules would carry a US$1 bill with a serial number the smugglers knew ahead of time. When the drug-laden suitcases were picked up in Vegas, the mules turned over that banknote, offering proof of their identity and confirmation the pickup had been made.

On the other end, in Australia, the mules were to buy a pre-paid cellphone and call a number to get details for the drop-off. At that exchange, the person collecting the suitcases would give the mules an AUS $5 bill with a known serial number. To collect his payment, Gardner was told to present that Australian banknote once back in Canada as proof of delivery.

On their second day in Vegas, after Gardner contacted a man about picking up the luggage, some men in a car pulled up in front of the hotel where the group was staying. Gardner and Carty got in the back seat, and after their driver pulled into a quiet spot they were handed two suitcases each.

Gardner had forgotten to bring the banknote he had been asked to register with Pastukhov and had to go back to his hotel room to get it, court heard.

Upstairs, Gardner and Carty were nervous. The bags were notably heavier than normal and still smelled of fresh glue. When Gardner returned to the men with the dollar bill, he told the men he didn’t want to go through with the trip. One of the men then grabbed a gun from under a car seat and threatened him, he said.

Senusi, an event planner from Montreal, also was in contact with Pastukhov, court heard, but seemed to be the least close to him. He was first drawn into the plot as a companion for a friend who had agreed to act as a mule. When the organizers learned Senusi’s friend had a criminal record, court heard, he was rejected for fear he would be stopped at the U.S. border, another man stepped in as the mule.

Senusi and that man began the trip together, but when Senusi’s friend was not allowed to cross into the U.S., it was made clear to Senusi that he was expected to take over. After being told a story of someone who pulled out being tortured by having razorblades inserted under their fingernails, he agreed, court heard. Senusi was so fearful he warned his family, and his brother fled to Saudi Arabia.

Court did not hear details of whether Senusi’s trip was co-ordinated with that of the other four, but all five were on the same flight to Sydney, arriving early in the morning of Dec. 22, 2015.

One by one they picked up their checked baggage and headed to Australian customs checkpoints. None made it through. Their suitcases were examined, court heard, the cocaine easily found.

Some stuck to their cover stories, others revealed concerns for the safety of their loved ones, but refused to explain why.

According to court records, during Senusi’s police interview he asked an officer, “How much jail time does something like this get?”

“It depends,” an officer replied. “Do you know how much drugs were in your bag?”

“No,” Senusi replied. He then called legal aid.

The maximum sentence was life imprisonment.