'A mere courier': Windsor judge sentences Brampton man to 12 years in prison
Mohamed Ahmed Abdirahman, 40, was previously convicted of importing and possessing 200 kilograms of pure methamphetamine.
Officers with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) at the Ambassador Bridge discovered the drugs on Christmas Eve 2019 in the cab of Abdirahman’s transport truck.
The drugs were in 200 individual packages stored in seven boxes and two plastic totes, the court estimated the drugs would be worth four million dollars if sold by the kilogram, or $29 million if sold by the gram.
“The offence itself is aggravating; (importing) an extremely large quantity of damaging drugs,” Justice Bruce Thomas said Wednesday.
During the trial and in his pre-sentence report, Abdirahman maintains he did not know the drugs were in his truck.
Although there were dozens of communications on his phone with a contact named ‘El Chapo’, Justice Thomas found there was no proof Abdirahman was more than “a mere courier”.
Still, Justice Thomas called Abdirahman’s defence “fanciful speculation” when he convicted him in May.
“The purpose of this specific activity can only be seen as an attempt at commercial profit and personal gain.” He gave Abdirahman credit for not breaching any of his bail conditions for 51 months, the fact he is a first-time offender with a solid marriage and two teenage children and he has the support of his Somalian community in Brampton.
Justice Thomas felt however, the offence needed to send a public message to the broader community. "Not all trucks can undergo significant inspection. North American trade is vital to the economy of both countries. A message must be sent to truck drivers, who might consider a quick gain by criminal importation.”
Federal prosecutor Richard Pollock had asked for a sentence between 16 and 18 years in prison.
“A 12 year sentence is a pretty lengthy term of incarceration,” Pollock told CTV News outside the courthouse. “There's no question that a 12 year sentence, is a deterrent to other drivers, to other people that think that they might get involved in this activity.”
Defence lawyer Jessica Grbevski said Abdirahman is ‘content’ with the sentence.
She had asked for a sentence of 10 to 12 years, noting anything more than that is ‘extreme’ and would have been ‘redundant’.
“When someone who’s never been in jail spends all this time in custody and then adding the significant time to it, what more does that do for rehabilitation to deter people? It’s not going to do any benefit to anyone,” said Grbevski.
She noted as well, there’s “a bigger issue at play”, with truck drivers being targeted by criminals who seek to use their rigs to move drugs across the border.
“It’s a wake-up call, it’s pretty serious,” Grbevski said.
When he is released from custody Abdirahman will have a firearms ban for 10 years and he must submit a DNA sample to the law enforcement database.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6945600.1719608806!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'We need new leadership': Liberal MP writes to caucus, says Justin Trudeau should resign
A sitting Liberal MP has written to the federal caucus to say he thinks Prime Minister Justin Trudeau should resign. 'For the future of our party and for the good of our country we need new leadership and a new direction,' said New Brunswick MP Wayne Long in the brief note.
WestJet warns of travel disruption as mechanics union opts to 'continue with strike action'
WestJet says its mechanics went ahead with their previously threatened strike on Friday evening, and the airline is 'outraged.'
Minivan slams into a Long Island nail salon, killing 4 and injuring 9, fire official says
A minivan slammed into a Long Island nail salon Friday, killing four people and injuring 9, a Suffolk County fire official said.
Ontario MPP removed from PC caucus over 'serious lapses in judgment'
Premier Doug Ford has removed a member of his caucus due to what he’s describing as 'serious lapses in judgment.' In a statement released Friday morning, the premier’s office said MPP Goldie Ghamari had been removed from the Progressive Conservative caucus 'effective immediately.'
Martin Mull, hip comic and actor from 'Fernwood Tonight' and 'Roseanne,' dies at 80
Martin Mull, whose droll, esoteric comedy and acting made him a hip sensation in the 1970s and later a beloved guest star on sitcoms including 'Roseanne' and 'Arrested Development,' has died, his daughter said Friday.
Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan to become first woman to lead Canadian Armed Forces
Lt.-Gen. Jennie Carignan will be named Canada's new Chief of the Defence Staff, CTV News has learned, making her the first woman to lead the Canadian Armed Forces.
Multivitamins don't help you live longer, study suggests
Millions of people who take multivitamins everyday may not be reaping the perceived health benefits, according to new research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Is marriage harder than it was 10 years ago? Why one psychologist thinks so
Marriage might be the oldest institution in the world, but it's struggling to adapt to the pressures of modern life. Registered psychologist Adisa Azubuike explains why it's more difficult today.
Five survivors from Sudbury, Ont., rescued in human trafficking investigation
Six people have been charged in a provincial human trafficking investigation that identified five survivors from Greater Sudbury.