A Brampton, Ont., man convicted of smuggling 200 kilograms of methamphetamine into Canada via the Ambassador Bridge has received a┬а12-year┬аprison sentence.
Mohamed Ahmed Abdirahman, 40, was convicted in April on┬аcharges of importing methamphetamine and possession of the drug for the purpose of trafficking.
At the time the charges were┬аlaid in 2019, the Canada Border Services Agency said it was “the largest methamphetamine seizure, on record, for the CBSA within the past seven years.”
His lawyer, Jessica Grbevski, said that she and her client were┬аpleased with the sentence handed down Wednesday.
“It is a lot of┬аtime in jail, but it’s what we’re essentially asking for, the range we were expecting,” she said.
The defence had sought 10 to 12 years, while the Crown had sought a stiffer 16 to 18-year sentence, Grbevski said.
Abdirahman’s sentence ends in about 11┬аyears due to credit for time served.
According to the decision,196.7 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized from inside the cab of Abdirahman’s tractor-trailer as he was trying to enter Canada┬аvia┬аthe Ambassador Bridge on┬аDec. 24, 2019.
He was returning to Canada after driving┬аto California for a┬аBrampton-based trucking company. On that trip, he┬аhad correspondence with a contact dubbed “El Chapo” and took a detour to Mexico.
A law enforcement expert testified the drugs were pure and could be worth anywhere between┬а$4.5 million or $29.4 million, depending on whether it was sold by the gram or the kilo.
During the judge-alone trial, there was no┬аdispute┬аthe meth was┬аfound in Abdirahman’s vehicle, but at issue was whether he knew about it.┬а
CBC┬аNews has contacted the Windsor Crown attorney’s office for comment.
Abdirahman is a father of two with┬аno previous criminal record. Grbevski said he has the support of his┬аcommunity and she has confidence in his rehabilitation.
“He’s been involved in different fundraising, assisting with youth within the community, with elderly, so he’s got a lot of support,” she said.
