Charges stayed against men charged with drug smuggling

By Delon Shurtz - Lethbridge Herald on June 24, 2023.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

A Calgary resident who was accused of importing 300 kilograms of methamphetamine into Alberta from the U.S., is no longer facing charges.

Paramjit Laroyia, 49, was charged with importing narcotics and drug possession for the purpose of trafficking under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, and smuggling under the Customs Act, but the charges were stayed by the federal Crown during a brief hearing earlier in the month.

A stay of proceeding means the Crown will no longer seek to prosecute the matter, although the charges can be brought back within a year should evidence warrant it.

The Crown said he stayed the charges because there is no likelihood of conviction

Laroyia was charged in February after a transport truck arrived at the Coutts Border. During a search of the truck, border officers found $3.6 million worth of drugs hidden in several boxes in the rear of the vehicle.

Two months later, two other men were arrested under similar circumstances.

Sukhdeep Singh Sandhu and Harmanpreet Singh Sidhu are also charged with importing narcotics, drug possession for the purpose of trafficking and smuggling. The charges were laid after two men in a commercial vehicle tried to bring 245 kilograms of methamphetamine into Alberta on April 17.

Sandhu and Sidhu were released three days later following a brief hearing in Lethbridge court of justice, during which they were ordered to each pay $1,000 bail, report weekly to the Coaldale RCMP, not possess any weapons, reside at specific addresses in Surrey, B.C., surrender their passports and not have any contact with each other.

Their matter was in court Thursday, where the judge was told the Crown is prepared to proceed with the case and is only waiting for defence to take a step. However, Surrey lawyer Pir Indar Paul Singh Sahota said he waiting to arrange with the Crown to have two items seized by police after his clients were arrested.

Their next court hearing is scheduled for July 13.

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