Drug case to start in 2019

Two people charged in a 2016 West Kelowna drug bust will not go to trial until 2019.

On June 14, 2016, the Kelowna RCMP street enforcement team and West Kelowna RCMP executed a search warrant on a residence in the 4000 block of Pritchard Road North in West Kelowna.

The search warrant yielded 372 grams of suspected crack cocaine, totalling 910 pieces of pre-packaged for street sales, 137 grams of suspected fentanyl, 82 grams of suspected heroin, totalling 350 pieces pre-packaged for street sales, more than $30,000 in Canadian currency and equipment consistent with the sale of illegal drugs.

Brandon Tuovila of West Kelowna and Danae Manore of Kelowna were arrested.

Both are charged with three counts each of possession for the purpose of trafficking, and Manore is also charged with two counts of trafficking a controlled substance.

In court Monday, Crown prosecutor Clarke Burnett told the court the Crown had several dates available for the four-day trial starting later this summer into the fall.

However, one of the defence lawyers is not available until May 2019.

As per the Jordan decision, cases in Supreme Court need to be tried within 30 months of charges being laid unless there are exceptional circumstances.

Burnett pointed out the 30-month time limit expires this December and wanted it on the record the Crown was available to go to trial before then.

The judge set the four-day trial to begin May 6, 2019.