Regina Leader-Post Staff
An Ontario man has been charged after Saskatchewan RCMP uncovered more than 1,180 pounds of cannabis in his vehicle near Indian Head.
Police received a request for assistance from the Saskatchewan Highway Patrol at about 4 p.m. on July 29. RCMP responded to a tractor and trailer unit that had been stopped by the patrol on Highway 1, about five kilometres east of Indian Head.
“An adult male, who was travelling from British Columbia to Ontario, was arrested at the scene. As a result of investigation, officers located and seized four pallets of dried cannabis,” stated an RCMP news release issued Friday.
“It goes without saying that this is a significant amount of cannabis,” said Saskatchewan RCMP Assistant Commissioner Rhonda Blackmore in the release. “We want to remind the public that although cannabis is legal to use, there are still parameters around the substance, including a public possession limit. In this case, illegal cannabis was being transported across the country to be sold from a non-licensed dealer.
“This violates product safety and quality control requirements, putting the public’s health and wellbeing at risk, in addition to the fact it’s illegal.”
A 40-year-old man from Hamilton, Ont. was charged with one count of possession for the purpose of distributing under the Cannabis Act, and one count of possession of unstamped cannabis product under the Excise Act. Saskatchewan Highway Patrol officers and the Provincial Protective Services Branch conducted the investigation, the release notes.
“Thanks to the diligent observance of the Saskatchewan Highway Patrol, we were able to prevent organized crime from profiting from illegal activity,” stated Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Paul Merriman in the release. “This is another example of the work our officers do to ensure public safety and our important partnership with the RCMP.”
The man is scheduled to appear in Indian Head provincial court in October.
