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Chief Justice denies bail for accused in NWT’s largest cocaine bust
'There is a concern if ... (the accused) were released from custody, he could commit a criminal offence, or fail to comply with his conditions,' says Shannon Smallwood
The Chief Justice of the NWT Supreme Court sent a strong message to drug dealers and the community as a whole on Thursday when she denied bail to the man charged in connection with the largest cocaine bust in the territory’s history.
Akashdeep Dhillon, 39, was charged with possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking after RCMP seized 5.4 kilograms of cocaine during a traffic stop on Highway 3 by members of the Behchokǫ̀ detachment.
The Surrey, B.C. resident has been in custody ever since the estimated $1 million seizure, and had bail denied by a Justice of the Peace in November.
He appealed the decision to NWT Supreme Court, arguing he had a stronger bail plan.
But Justice Shannon Smallwood denied the bail appeal, even though Dhillon and his wife would post $20,000 in cash and he would wear an ankle monitor while on house arrest in Surrey.
“Trafficking of drugs in this jurisdiction continues to be a significant concern … the impact of that amount of cocaine coming into this jurisdiction and being sold on the streets of Yellowknife or other smaller communities would be significant,” she said, as Dhillon sat in the prisoner’s dock. “I conclude the impact of releasing Mr. Dhillon … would have a detrimental impact on the public’s confidence in the administration of justice overall.
“I think there is a concern … if Mr. Dhillon were released from custody, he could commit a criminal offence or fail to comply with his conditions. So, I’ve come to the conclusion … that his detention continues to be necessary on the secondary and tertiary grounds. Although I’m primarily concerned with the tertiary grounds.”
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- Chief Superintendent Dyson Smith speaks to media about the historic cocaine seizure on Highway 3. (Photo: RCMP)
On October 26th at approximately 1:30 pm officers of the Behchokǫ̀ detachment on patrol of Highway 3 conducted a traffic stop near Mosquito Creek with a speeding vehicle from B.C.
Investigators then located six vacuum-sealed packages appearing to contain illicit drugs inside the vehicle, along with other paraphernalia consistent with drug trafficking.
Upon processing, five of the packages were found to contain suspected cocaine, with a total weight of approximately 5.4 kilograms. The sixth package contained Phenacetin, a cutting agent.
“Many things have been said by this court and others over the years regarding the risk and dangers of drug trafficking and cocaine in the Northwest Territories. I won’t repeat them. It’s well-known that drug trafficking is highly lucrative … a business and a way of life,” said the judge.
“The risk is that it can create huge incentives for a person to continue that activity, even while on bail. If Mr. Dillon was actively involved in this type of behavior, there’s a significant risk that he would resume this activity.”
Smallwood noted that there is a presumption of innocence for all accused. However, if convicted after trial, Dhillon faces a lengthy prison sentence.
Dhillon will be in Territorial Court in the fall for pre-trial motions.
