Cocaine trafficker sentenced to five years

His parents sent him away from British Columbia to attend university in Saskatoon.

Now, Jaeho Lee’s education will happen in prison.

The 25-year-old was already known to police as a mid-level cocaine trafficker when the Saskatchewan Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit (CFSEU) Saskatoon team began a month-long investigation into his drug-related activities.

Police observed Lee disposing of drug trafficking paraphernalia and eventually tracked calls on his cellphone, according to information presented in Saskatoon provincial court Wednesday.

On April 9, 2014, police say Lee communicated with a known drug dealer while visiting Calgary.

When he drove back to Saskatoon, patrol officers performed a traffic stop. A search of his vehicle revealed 531 grams of cocaine in a vacuum-sealed bag in his trunk. Officers also seized a small amount of crack cocaine and more than $5,500 in cash.

This was not Lee’s first run-in with the law. In July of 2011, he was convicted of drug trafficking offences and was sentenced to 42 months.

“Obviously you can see from his criminal record that drug trafficking is his business,” federal prosecutor Lynn Hintz told court.

The judge ordered Lee to serve five years in prison, less time served, after Lee pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine.

Lee’s lawyer said he plans to enrol in post-secondary classes while he serves his prison time.