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Meth seizure at Coutts border crossing on July 28, 2019. (Supplied by Canada Border Services Agency)
By David Opinko
2019 bust

Calgary man found guilty of smuggling 50 kg of meth at Coutts

Feb 4, 2021 | 11:56 AM

A Calgary man has been found guilty in what was, at the time, the largest seizure of meth at the Coutts border crossing.

Asif Mir, 41, was charged in July 2019 with one count each of possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking and importing methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking.

On July 26, 2019, Mir began driving a shipment of pork in the commercial truck that he owned from JBS in Brooks to Burbank, California.

Shortly after completing his delivery, his truck broke down and he was directed by his employer to a repair shop in San Fernando. Mir stayed in a motel overnight as the necessary parts had to be ordered in and would be completed the following day.

Once his truck was fixed, he made his way back up north and crossed the border into Canada at Coutts on July 28.

An officer pulled his truck aside for a secondary inspection. Mir sat in a waiting room for approximately 30-45 minutes while officers searched.

Detective Shaun Skidmore testified that he and his K-9 Yogi found a quantity of methamphetamine in a tire chain box that was behind a pile of laundry in the driver’s cabin. After Mir was placed under arrest, the pair located a duffle bag with additional packages of meth underneath the bottom bunk bed, which had been tucked in.

In total, approximately 50 kg of meth was seized.

The crown initially stated that the drugs were worth approximately $3-million but updated that figure during Thursday’s proceedings since the street value changes depending on how it is cut and sold.

If sold by the kilogram, it would be worth anywhere between $1.3-million and $1.75-million, but if sold by the gram, it could be as high as $5-million.

In his decision, the presiding judge said his ruling would ultimately come down to whether or not Mir knew that the drugs were in his truck.

The judge stated that he did not consider Mir to be a credible witness, primarily due to the accused having “significant gaps” in his memory.

There were several instances in Mir’s testimony where he could not remember details that the judge considered to be important or ones that he should have known given his occupation and familiarity with his own vehicle.

This includes not remembering when his trip started and where he was going, what was in the load that he picked up on the way back, when and where he stopped on his way back to Canada, whether he had placed his dirty clothes on a pail or a tire chain box, being instructed to move from Bay 1 to Bay 2 at Coutts, and how many bunk beds were in his truck.

Several times when being asked questions at the witness box, Mir would give a long pause before answering that he did not remember. The judge stated that he “appeared to be evading questions.”

Evidence given by Mir about his time at the border crossing often conflicted with the counts given by the Canada Border Service Agency officers.

The defense had suggested that the drugs might have been unknowingly placed in the truck with the repair shop workers being the most likely culprits.

However, Mir had no prior knowledge of the shop and did not know anyone that worked there.

The employees would not have known exactly where in Alberta Mir was going, so the judge said it was unlikely that they would place such a large quantity of drugs in his vehicle on the off chance that someone might be able to recover it later.

Due to all of these reasons, the judge asserted that the only reasonable inference is that Mir knew the drugs were in his truck, and therefore, declared him guilty on both charges.

Sentencing is scheduled for February 26.

(Lethbridge News Now)

by David Opinko