Charges have been laid against a Surrey man in connection with the discovery last year of 13 kilograms of heroin in a northbound vehicle at the Douglas border crossing.
According to a news release issued Monday afternoon by the RCMP, investigation by the Canada Border Services Agency and the Mounties’ Border Enforcement Team has led to charges of importing a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking against Gurpreet Singh Mand.
Mand, 39, was arrested at approximately 1 a.m. on Aug. 18, 2017, after border officers found a suitcase containing 13 vacuum-sealed bags believed to contain a controlled substance.
The packages were found to contain enough high-quality heroin to supply 130,000 doses at the street level, the release states.
“This large seizure of heroin would have been destined for the domestic opioid market,” Sgt. Eric Boechler said in the release.
“There is a high likelihood it would have been further mixed with fentanyl or other potent synthetic opioids. This seizure will keep these dangerous drugs off the streets of British Columbia.”