NEW DELHI: A Surrey associate of a prominent Punjabi singer has been convicted of attempting to smuggle two kilograms of heroin hidden in the false bottom of a suitcase through the Vancouver Airport.
Hardev Sihota, 36, was selected for secondary screening by a border security officer after he arrived at the airport on a flight from India on April 22, 2010.
An X-ray examination of his large black suitcase revealed an irregularity, the suspected presence of organic material in the base of the suitcase.
The suitcase was found to have a false bottom in which border officers found two plastic bags containing white powder. The powder was two kilograms worth of heroin, valued at between $180,000 and $200,000 depending on purity and, if sold by the gram, worth as much as $645,000.
Sihota, a Surrey father of three, was charged with importing a controlled substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
At his trial earlier this year in B.C. Supreme Court in Vancouver there was no dispute that the drugs were in his possession. The only issue was whether he had knowledge of the narcotics.
Court heard that Sihota, who came to Canada in 2001 after being sponsored by his wife who was a resident of B.C., in 2006 met K.S. Makhan, a famous Punjabi singer with a home in Delta.
Sihota was told Makhan, whose real name he learned was Kuldeep Singh Takhar, was a promoter and residential land developer, B.C. Supreme Court Justice Wendy Baker said in her reasons for judgment released Friday.
Sihota, who was an unlicensed electrician, was hired by Makhan to do some work on houses Makhan was building and began spending more time with him, the judge noted.
“At some point, probably in 2008 I conclude, but possibly as late as 2009, Mr. Sihota became aware that Mr. Makhan was engaged in the importation of narcotics from India and the distribution of narcotics in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia,” said the judge.
“He first heard rumours about Mr. Makhan’s illegal activities involving narcotics. He said there was also a report in India news that Mr. Makhan was involved in drugs.”
Sihota testified at trial that at the time he first heard the reports, he’d never actually seen Makhan dealing in drugs, but learned through direct involvement in some aspects of those activities that Makhan was involved in drug dealing at a “high level,” said the judge.
Sihota learned that Makhan was having drugs brought into Canada from India by his relatives and by some men and women described by Sihota as elderly, she said.
He told RCMP that many times Makhan had sent him to the airport to pick up passengers and their luggage, noted the judge.
He testified that one time, Makhan passed him a box containing white powder and had him deliver the box to a Punjabi store and bakery.
On other occasions, Makhan gave him a packet to keep at his home, noted the judge.
“Sometimes the packet contained large amounts of cash, as much as $40,000 or $50,000,” said the judge. “Mr. Makhan usually retrieved the packet from Mr. Sihota within a day or two.”
