Importing and Exporting Drugs (Sentencing Cases)

This page was last substantively updated or reviewed May 2021. (Rev. # 96887)

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Case Digests - CDSA

Case Name	Prv.	Crt.	Sentence	Drug / Quant.	Summary
2020
R v Ojukwu, 2020 ONSC 743 (CanLII), per Lemay J	ON	SC	5 years		Find summaries of case.
2019
R v Safroni, 2019 ONSC 3022 (CanLII), per Ricchetti J	ON	SC	2 years imprisonment		Find summaries of case.
2018
R v Hasankhani, 2018 ONSC 3669 (CanLII), per Baltman J	ON	SC	5 years	5 kg opium	Find summaries of case.
R v Sarjoghian, 2018 ONSC 3142 (CanLII), per Emery J	ON	SC	4.5 years	4.6 kg opium	Find summaries of case.
2017
R v Bayrami-Asl, 2017 ONSC 2055 (CanLII), per LeMay J	ON	SC	5 years imprisonment	3.9 kg opium	The offender was convicted at trial of importing opium. Find summaries of case.
2016
R v Kaneza, 2016 ABCA 411 (CanLII), per Martin JA	AB	CA	11 years (importing) 7 years (trafficking)	2.92 kg Heroin	The offender was stopped at the airport in Edmonton flying in from Europe. She was found with heroin with a street value between 870k and 1.7 million. She was 27 years old at the time of the offence and had three children. Find summaries of case.
R v Rajaei-Mehrabadi, , [2016] O.J. No. 2655(*no CanLII links) , per Dawson J	ON	SC	4.5 years	6.5 kilograms of opium
2015
R v Aujla, 2015 ONCA 350 (CanLII), per Benotto JA	ON	CA	10 and 12 years	37 kg	two accused imported cocaine in an ice-cream truck. Alleged they were "blind couriers". Find summaries of case.
R v Salamat Ravandi, [2015] B.C.J. No. 2537 (B.C.S.C.)(*no CanLII links) , per B.M. Davies J	BC	SC	4.5 years		"sentenced a 36 year old accused with no criminal record to four and a half years for the importation of 17.95 kilograms of opium. The Crown in that case suggested a range of five to seven years. Davies J. reviewed a number of cases, including some British Columbia cases I have not referred to, and held that the appropriate range of sentence was three to seven years and “not the much higher range appropriate for sentencing for the importation of heroin or cocaine” (para. 33)."
R v Henareh, [2015] BCJ No. 2880, {{{3}}}	BC		14kg opium
2014
R v Zeisig, 2014 ONSC 3529 (CanLII), per Tzimas J	ON	SC	4.5 years	1.9 kg	Offender was importing cocaine at Pearson airport. Find summaries of case.
R v Rodriguez, 2014 ONSC 2928 (CanLII), per O’Connor J	ON	SC	6 years imprisonment	1.5 kg	imported heroin from Columbia. The offender was aged 69 years old and suffers from colon cancer. Find summaries of case.
2013
R v Ifejika, 2013 ONCA 531 (CanLII), per curiam	ON	CA	7 years imprisonment	500 g heroin	convicted at trial Find summaries of case.
R v Von Holtum, 2013 BCCA 384 (CanLII), per Neilson JA	BC	CA	12 years imprisonment	50kg cocaine	baggage handler at Vancouver Airport assisted in importing cocaine Find summaries of case.
R v Akintunde, 2013 ONSC 2766(*no CanLII links)	ON	SC		8 years imprisonment (importation) 4 years imprisonment (traff.)	398 grams of heroin (import) 280 grams of heroin (traff)
R v Severight, 2013 SKPC 24 (CanLII), per Cardinal J	SK	PC			Find summaries of case.
R v Pocasangre, 2013 BCSC 193 (CanLII), per J	BC	SC			Find summaries of case.
R v Zhu, 2013 BCCA 416 (CanLII), per J	BC	CA		Find summaries of case.
2012
R v Robinson, 2012 ONSC 1613 (CanLII), per Goodman J	ON	SC	8 years imprisonment	3.532kg cocaine	The offender was found guilty of importing cocaine. She was arrested at the Toronto Airport arriving from Jamaica carrying the cocaine. Find summaries of case.
R v Kandola, 2012 BCSC 1042 (CanLII), per Romilly J	BC	SC	14 years imprisonment	208 kg of cocaine	offender employed by CBSA - also convicted of importing guns Find summaries of case.
R v Palfrey, 2012 SKQB 487 (CanLII), per Keene J	SK	SC	14 years imprisonment		Find summaries of case.
R v Knockwood, 2012 ONSC 2238 (CanLII), per Hill J	ON	SC	6 years imprisonment	997 g heroin	Find summaries of case.
R v Payne, 2012 CanLII 41098 (NLSCTD), per Goodridge J	NL	SC	5 years, 7 months	3 kg	also importing 12k pills and marijuana. Total street value of $645,000.00. Find summaries of case.
R v Razmara, 2012 ONCA 13 (CanLII), per curiam	ON	CA	14 years imprisonment		importation of large amount of cocaine Find summaries of case.
R v Dixon and Westover, 2012 ONSC 4171 (CanLII), per Taliano J	ON	SC	5 years (import, Westover) 6 years (import, Dixon)		The two offenders conspired to import cocaine. Find summaries of case.
2011
R v Chukwu, 2011 ONSC 2216 (CanLII), [2011] OJ No 3356, per Kiteley J	ON	SC	4 years (importation) 2 years (poss'n) 6 months (other CC)	1.4 kg cocaine	Find summaries of case.
2009
R v Gurm, [2009] O.J. No. 5007 (S.C.J.)(*no CanLII links)	ON	SC	2 years less a day		"my colleague Justice Wein imposed a sentence of two years less one day to be followed by a period of probation. The weight of the opium imported in that case is not stated but the street value is specified as being between $10,000 and $17,000. There were indications the accused was a user. A para. 6 Justice Wein found that the quantity imported was suggestive of only small scale distribution."
2008
R v Sidhu, [2008] OJ No 3479(C.J.)(*no CanLII links)	ON	CA	14 years, 9 months	9.56 kilograms of heroin	varied 2009 ONCA 81 (CanLII), 242 C.C.C (3d) 273
R v Bokark, 2008 ONCJ 378 (CanLII), per Fairgrieve J	ON	PC	opium		Find summaries of case.
2007
R v Rashidi-Alavijie, 2007 ONCA 712 (CanLII), per Gillese JA	ON	CA	5.5 years		"the court upheld a sentence of five and a half years imposed by J. Murray J. (see [2006] O.J. No. 4015) for the importation of 5.9 kilograms of opium. The appellant in that case was 36 years old, had no criminal record and was not a user of opium." Find summaries of case.
2006
R v Jones, 2006 CanLII 28086 (ON CA, per Doherty JA	ON	CA	40 months imprisonment	849 gr cocaine	The offender was caught arriving from Jamaica at Toronto Airport. Find summaries of case.
R v Epp, 2006 BCCA 570 (CanLII), per J	BC	CA			Find summaries of case.
2005
R v Dhaliwal, 2005 BCSC 1576 (CanLII), per J	BC	SC			Find summaries of case.
2004
R v Hamilton and Mason, 2004 CanLII 5549 (ON CA), per Doherty JA	ON	CA	20 months, 2 years less a day	349 gr	Both offenders pleaded guilty to importing cocaine. They were both couriers who were caught at the Toronto airport returning from Jamaica. Hamilton had swallowed pellets of cocaine worth about $70,000. Mason swallowed 489 gr of cocaine. Hamilton was 26 years old with no record. She as a single mother. Mason was 31 year old single mother with no record. Find summaries of case.
R v Sherman, 2004 CanLII 17725 (ON CA)	ON	CA	9 years		Find summaries of case.
R v Cody, 2004 CanLII 18275 (QC CS)	QC	SC	5 years	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Aghabeigi, 2004 BCCA 263 (CanLII), [2004] B.C.J. No. 1035 (C.A.), per Ryan JA	BC	CA	3 years imprisonment		"the court upheld a three year sentence imposed at trial for the importation of 9.6 kilograms of opium hidden in the lining of suitcases. The court described the sentence as lenient but found no basis to interfere with the trial judge’s sentence. The accused in that case was a 41 year old woman with no criminal record who suffered from depression and some other health problems. The court did refer to two other cases that supported a sentence in the range of six to seven years for such an offence. This case appears to me to establish the bottom of the range for the importation of multiple kilograms of opium at three years." Find other summaries.
2003
R v Sandhu, 2003 BCSC 2033 (CanLII)	BC	SC			Find summaries of case.
R v Bajada, 2003 CanLII 15687 (ON CA, per Weiler JA	ON	CA	6 years imprisonment	1.5 kg cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Mensah, 2003 CanLII 57419 (ON CA)	ON	CA	7+ years	heroin	Find summaries of case.
R v Lawson, 2003 CanLII 27915 (ON SC)	ON	SC	8 years	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Spencer, 2003 CanLII 36890 (ON SC)	ON	SC	20 months	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Wilson, 2003 CanLII 34247 (ON CA)	ON	CA	3 years		Find summaries of case.
R v Johnston, 2003 CanLII 14150 (ON SC)	ON	SC	CSO 22 months	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
2002
R v Carpenter, 2002 BCCA 301 (CanLII)	BC	CA	6 years		Find summaries of case.
R v Brissett, 2002 CanLII 19090 (ON CA)	ON	CA	18 month CSO	cannabis resin	Find summaries of case.
2001
R v Syblis, 2001 CanLII 24127 (ON CA, per curiam	ON	CA	7 years (import cocaine) 4 years (import, hash)	2.13 kg cocaine and 1 kg hashish	Find summaries of case.
2000
R v Viettro-Borges, 2000 CanLII 1768 (QC CA)	QC	CA	CSO	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Morielli, 2000 CanLII 8620 (QC CA)	QC	CA	10 years	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
1999
R v Bérubé (R.), 1999 CanLII 32756 (NB CA)	NB	CA	7 years	cannabis	Find summaries of case.
R v Wellington, 1999 CanLII 3054 (ON CA)	ON	CA	CSO	hashish	Find summaries of case.
R v John Doe, 1999 CanLII 15051 (ON SC)	ON	SC	2 years less a day CSO	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Jones, 1999 CanLII 3700 (ON CA)	ON	CA	5 years	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Valentini, 1999 CanLII 1885 (ON CA)	ON	CA	12 years (V) 4 years (P)	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
1998
R v Grossman, 1998 CanLII 2432 (BC SC)	BC	SC	5 years	heroin	Find summaries of case.
R v Shalala (R.), 1998 CanLII 28270 (NB KB)	NB	SC	18 years		Find summaries of case.
R v Alleyne, 1998 CanLII 2116 (ON CA, per curiam	ON	CA	7 years	2.5 powder cocaine	The offender was a drug courier. He had no prior record. Find summaries of case.
R v Redekopp, 1998 CanLII 1820 (ON CA)	ON	CA	4 years	marijuana	Find summaries of case.
R v Koh, 1998 CanLII 6117 (ON CA)	ON	CA	7 years	heroin	Find summaries of case.
R v Holder, 1998 CanLII 14962 (ON SC)	ON	SC	15 months	cannabis resin	Find summaries of case.
R v Blagrove, 1998 CanLII 1858 (ON CA)	ON	CA	CSO	cannabis resin	Find summaries of case.
R v Camacho, 1998 CanLII 4930 (ON CA)	ON	CA	9 years	2.5kg cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Gagnon, 1998 CanLII 13076 (QC CA)	QC	CA	CSO	hashish	Find summaries of case.
R v Veillette, 1998 CanLII 13078 (QC CA)	QC	CA	9 months	hashish	Find summaries of case.
1997
R v Gauvin, 1997 CanLII 9544 (NB CA)	NB	CA	18 years		16 years, 20 years
R v Dugas, 1997 CanLII 7014 (QC CQ)	QC	PC	1 year	hashish	Find summaries of case.
R v Lore, 1997 CanLII 10604 (QC CA)	QC	CA	18 years	cocaine	Find summaries of case.

other cases

7. R. v. Oliynyk, 2006 BCSC 572

8. R. v. Oliynyk, 2010 BCCA 249

10. R. v. Charna, [1990] B.C.J. No. 2378 (BCCA)

11. R. v. Jeffries, 1996 CanLII 2630 (BCCA)

Narcotics Controlled Act

Case Name	Prv.	Crt.	Sentence	Drug / Quant.	Summary
1996
R v Hayes, 1996 CanLII 17943 (MB CA)	MB	CA			Find summaries of case.
R v Madden, 1996 CanLII 10228 (ON CA, per Finlayson JA	ON	CA	3 years imprisonment	770 gr cocaine	The offender was caught at Toronto airport returning from Jamaica with cocaine in her belongings. She plead guilty. She was 23 years old with no record. Find summaries of case.
R v Shayesteh, 1996 CanLII 882 (ON CA)	ON	CA	8 years	cocaine and opium	Find summaries of case.
R v Jeffries, 1996 CanLII 2630 (BC CA)	BC	CA	15 years	6 kg cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Scott, 1996 CanLII 1279 (ON CA)	ON	CA	10 years	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Cunningham, 1996 CanLII 1311 (ON CA, per curiam	ON	CA		5kg cocaine	The offender was a courier who carried the cocaine in her suitcase and was caught at the Toronto airport coming back from a short trip to St. Lucia. The street value of the package was about $500,000. She as 21 years old with no prior record. She was motivated by personal gain and made about $4,000 for the package. Find other summaries.
R v Faulds, 1996 CanLII 2579 (ON CA)	ON	CA	5 years (F) 7 years (T)	marijuana	Find summaries of case.
R v Barbeau, 1996 CanLII 6390 (QC CA)	QC	CA	15 years (B) 19 years (C)	27 kg cocaine	Find summaries of case.
1995
R v Defrancesca, 1995 CanLII 1609 (ON CA)	ON	CA	17 years (S) 13-12 years (D and C)	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
1994
R v Hamilton, 1994 CanLII 4632 (SK CA)	SK	CA	3 years	marijuana	Find summaries of case.
R v Cheung, 1994 CanLII 916 (BC SC)	BC	SC	14 years, 2 months	heroin	Find summaries of case.
R v Velmurugu, 1994 CanLII 1340 (ON CA)	ON	CA	18 years	heroin	Find summaries of case.
1993
R v Newman, 1993 CanLII 8592 (ON CA)	ON	CA	7 years	hash oil	Find summaries of case.
R v Gallego, 1993 CanLII 5597 (ON SC)	ON	SC	10 years	cocaine and 76 gr heroin	Find summaries of case.
R v Joubert, 1993 CanLII 1741 (BC CA)	BC	CA	20 years	91 kg cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Jantuah, 1993 CanLII 4386 (QC CA)	QC	CA	10 years	heroin	Find summaries of case.
1992
R v Montes, 1992 CanLII 1997 (BC CA)	BC	CA	8 years		Find summaries of case.
R v Gervais, 1992 CanLII 3144 (QC CA)	QC	CA	15 years	100 million dollars in hashish	Find summaries of case.
R v Yazdani, 1992 CanLII 3522 (QC CA)	QC	CA	25 years	heroin and cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Rowbotham, 1992 CanLII 7500 (ON CA)	ON	CA	13 years (R) 8 years (S)		Find summaries of case.
R v Hollwey, 1992 CanLII 7713 (ON CA)	ON	CA	9 years	hashish	Find summaries of case.
R v Griffiths, 1992 CanLII 293 (BC SC)	BC	SC	6 years	12 kg cocaine and 1/4 ton of hash	Find summaries of case.
R v Blomert, 1992 CanLII 14089 (PE SCTD)	PEI	SC	9 years	marijuana	Find summaries of case.
1991
R v Dedels, 1991 CanLII 213 (BC CA)	BC	CA	10 years	1.5 kg cocaine	Find summaries of case.
1990
R v Stephens, 1990 CanLII 2048 (BC CA)	BC	CA	7 years	marijuana	Find summaries of case.
R v Rooke, 1990 CanLII 1683 (BC CA)	BC	CA	20 years	cocaine and heroin	Find summaries of case.
R v Pepin, 1990 CanLII 2481 (NS CA)	NS	CA	9 years	marijuana	Find summaries of case.
R v Noiseux, 1990 CanLII 2936 (QC CA)	QC	CA	42 months	hashish	Find summaries of case.
R v Lemieux, 1990 CanLII 2933 (QC CA)	QC	CA	30 days	hashish	Find summaries of case.
1989
R v Morrison, 1989 CanLII 7114 (ON CA)	ON	CA	7.5 years	marijuana	Find summaries of case.
R v Richard, 1989 CanLII 1256 (QC CA)	QC	CA	7 years	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Roberts, 1989 CanLII 7554 (NB CA)	NB	CA	5 years	marijuana	Find summaries of case.
R v Doiron, 1989 CanLII 8139 (NB CA)	NB	CA	8 years	hashish	Find summaries of case.
1988
R v Newall, 1988 CanLII 3285 (BC CA)	BC	CA	cannabis resin	12 years imprisonment	Find summaries of case. Find other summaries.
R v Iuculano, 1988 CanLII 868 (QC CA)	QC	CA	time served	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Setoudah, 1988 CanLII 1292 (QC CA)	QC	CA	7 years	heroin	Find summaries of case.
R v Coulombe, 1988 CanLII 870 (QC CA)		QC	CA	heroin	Find summaries of case.
R v Nassar, 1988 ABCA 305 (CanLII)	AB	CA	6 years	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Cirone, 1988 ABCA 228 (CanLII)	AB	CA	10 years 7 years	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Garofoli, 1988 CanLII 3270 (ON CA)	ON	CA	12 years 9 years 7 years	cocaine	Find summaries of case.
R v Valiquette, 1988 CanLII 356 (QC CA)	QC	CA	hash	4 years	Find summaries of case.
1987
R v Abolmolouk, [1987] O.J. No. 926 (C.A.)(*no CanLII links) , per Lacourcière JA	ON	CA		805 gr opium	"the court allowed an appeal from a sentence of seven years for the importation of 805 grams of opium by a 40 year old appellant who had no criminal record. Taking note of the fact that the appellant had spent six months in pretrial custody the Court of Appeal reduced the sentence to four years"
R v Saulnier, 1987 CanLII 2414 (BC CA), 2 WWR 546, per Seaton JA	BC	CA	marijuana	5 years (Saulnier) 3 years (Morneau) 42 months (McDonald)	Find other summaries. Find summaries of case.
1985
R v Guiller et al., 1985 CanLII 5996 (ON SC)	ON	SC		heroin	Find summaries of case.

Cannabis

Case Name	Prv.	Crt.	Sentence	Drug / Quant.	Summary
R v Adam, 2007 BCSC 764 (CanLII), per Romilly J	BC	SC	3.5 to 7 years	large marijuana importation scheme