Appeal dismissed on drug conviction
An appeal has been dismissed for an Abbotsford man who was convicted last year of trying to smuggle 50 kg of cocaine from the U.S. into Canada.
Ajitpal Singh Sekhon, 36, was convicted of possession for the purpose of trafficking and importing a controlled substance, and was sentenced to a 10-year jail term.
In a ruling on Dec. 19, a B.C. Court of Appeal panel denied him another trial.
Sekhon was the lone driver of a pickup truck that arrived at the Aldergrove border crossing on Jan. 25, 2005.
A customs officer noted that Sekhon appeared tense and nervous, and a search of his vehicle was conducted. Fifty bricks of cocaine were found in a hidden compartment of the truck, but Sekhon denied having any knowledge of the drugs.
Sekhon was acquitted of the charges following his first trial in 2007, but the Crown appealed the ruling, and a new trial was ordered. Sekhon was then convicted in November 2011.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.