B.C. drug smuggler fled to India to avoid 15-year prison sentence: RCMP
Canadian authorities are asking Interpol to issue a "red notice" for the arrest of a Surrey, B.C., man who was convicted of smuggling cocaine into Canada but allegedly fled to India to avoid prison.
If granted, the "red notice" would ask foreign police agencies to arrest Raj Kumar Mehmi, a 60-year-old truck driver who was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for possessing and importing 80 kilograms of cocaine through the Pacific Highway border crossing near Vancouver.
A Canada-wide warrant has also been issued for Mehmi's arrest.
The Surrey man was initially caught at the border in November 2017 while driving a semi-trailer he owned with the sealed bricks of cocaine hidden inside.
"The truck had been randomly selected for a secondary examination" when the cocaine was found inside the truck's sleeper cab, Holly Stoner, director of the Canada Border Services Agency's Pacific region, told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.
The RCMP's federal serious and organized crime unit estimated the street value of the drugs at $3.2 million.
Mehmi was found guilty one charge each of importing a controlled substance and possessing a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking in September 2022.
Raj Kumar Mehmi was sentenced in absentia to 15 years in prison for possessing and importing 80 kilograms of cocaine through the Peace Arch border crossing. (RCMP)
A sentencing hearing was scheduled for this past January, however authorities say Mehmi boarded a flight from Vancouver to New Delhi on Oct. 11, 2022, and has not returned to Canada.
Despite his absence, he was sentenced last month in Surrey provincial court to nine years for the importation charge and six years for possession.
MEHMI FLED ON SECOND PASSPORT
An RCMP spokesperson says Mehmi's Canadian passport was seized by Mounties and turned over to Passport Canada at the time of his arrest. However, due to the length of time between his arrest and conviction, Mehmi was able to legally obtain another passport through Passport Canada, which he ultimately used to flee.
"The RCMP and CBSA took all measures available to us within the legal framework," said Cpl. Arash Seyed of the RCMP's federal serious and organized crime unit. "If he were flagged and found to be a flight risk then we would have enforced that."
The latest data available from Statistics Canada indicates cocaine use has steadily increased since 2020, and has contributed "significantly" to accidental drug toxicity deaths in B.C., and Canada overall.
"With about half of the toxic drug deaths in B.C. involving stimulants such as cocaine, this significant drug seizure," RCMP Supt. Bert Ferreira told reporters. "The resulting criminal conviction of the person responsible demonstrates our firm commitment to keeping Canadians safe."
The Surrey man was initially caught at the border in November 2017 while driving a semi-trailer he owned with the sealed bricks of cocaine hidden inside. (RCMP)
Seyed said the quantity of cocaine seized suggests the involvement of organized crime.
"In this case we got ahead of it, but obviously the person convicted has escaped," he added. "If he is found and arrested, there is a process that will follow with our international partners – India being a member of Interpol, as well – and we would be looking at an extradition process."
Investigators describe Mehmi as standing approximately 6' tall and weighing 200 pounds. His sentence includes a lifetime ban on possessing firearms and restricted weapons.
Anyone who sees Mehmi, or has information on his whereabouts, is urged not to approach him. Instead, witnesses and tipsters can contact local police or report what they know anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Repetitive partisan conduct': Conservatives to force vote on ousting Speaker Greg Fergus
The federal Conservatives have advanced a motion that will force MPs to vote on whether to oust Greg Fergus as House of Commons Speaker, after MPs' deputy adjudicator ruled Monday that the Liberal member's allegedly errant partisan event invite required urgent attention.
Teen was doing homework at family's Mississauga, Ont. restaurant when gunman opened fire: testimony
The 13-year-old sister of a young man killed in the attack on her family’s Mississauga restaurant in 2021 took the stand in a Brampton courthouse on Monday to describe the terrifying moments of coming under fire.
B.C. senior prepares to move due to devastating effects of fraud
A Courtenay, B.C., senior is downsizing and packing to move as she comes to accept she can no longer afford to stay in her home, after falling victim to a scam that robbed her of her life savings worth more than $100,000.
What a CBSA strike could look like, according to an expert
Slowed or interrupted travel, the passing of goods and significantly restricted borders should be expected if Canadian border workers take upcoming strike action.
Israel close to approving Gaza reunification program before Rafah invasion: Miller
Immigration Minister Marc Miller says Israel seemed to be on the verge of approving a program to get Palestinian relatives of Canadians out of the Gaza Strip before the country's invasion of the town of Rafah.
WATCH Alta. man rescues wild foal trapped on steep cliffside
A man's daring rescue of a newborn wild foal that was trapped after falling down a steep embankment was caught on video over the weekend.
'Decades-long fight': MPs unanimously pass 'anti-scab' legislation
A bill that would ban federal employers from using replacement workers or 'scabs' during lockouts or strikes passed the House of Commons unanimously on Monday.
Netanyahu acknowledges 'tragic mistake' after Rafah strike kills dozens of Palestinians
Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged Monday that a 'tragic mistake' had been made after an Israeli strike in the southern Gaza city of Rafah set fire to a tent camp housing displaced Palestinians and killed at least 45 people.
Severe thunderstorms, tornado watch in some areas of Canada. Here's where
Depending on where you live, you can expect to get a mixed bag of weather this week, as local forecasts predict heavy rain, strong wind, severe thunderstorms and even snowfall across some areas of Canada.