Updated

Vancouver 3 NRIs to appeare in BC court on June 26 in $6 million dollar of Drugs smuggling

Vancouver, June 24, 2009
Satwant Singh

Two NRIs, Shminder Johal, 34, and Herman Riar, 26 of Richmond were arrested in Canada importing cocaine, possession for the purpose of trafficking, conspiracy to import cocaine, and importing a restricted firearm. The police found $200,000 in Shminder Johal's Richmond residence.

A border guard for six years, NRI Baljinder Kandola was also arrested to believe that he arranged safe passage for the two trucks through the border crossing.

On Oct. 24, 2007, Blaine, Wash., and Seattle Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents followed Mr. Riar as he entered the United States at the Blaine crossing. After Mr. Riar crossed into Canada, Canadian authorities stopped him. About 225 kilograms of cocaine and three guns were seized.

The three are due to make an appearance in Surrey provincial court on June 26.

U.S. District Judge James L. Robart, Seattle, sentenced Charles Lai, 43, a Vancouver businessman, 13 years in a U. S. prison for his role in a cocaine-smuggling conspiracy. Judge James L. Robar said:

• The drug plot a “massive” cocaine conspiracy “touching the lives of numerous people in the U.S. and Canada.
• If you are dealing with millions of dollars in drugs and guns, it often leads to violence.

In March, 2008, he was hauled off a cruise ship in Miami in connection with the cross-border drug case. In October 2007, he was indicted by a U.S. Grand Jury for his role in the ring and later agreed to plead guilty to to trafficking a specific shipment of cocaine and firearms that were seized at the Canadian border in October 2007. The investigation started when two GMC Suburbans packed with $7-million worth of cocaine, as well as three handguns and ammunition in one of the vehicles on the U.S. side of the border, near the Pacific Highway Crossing.

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NRI border guard allegedly using his position to turn a blind eye on smuggling.

3 NRIs arrested for importing 208 kilograms of cocaine worth $6 million,
three handguns and $200,000 in cash to Canada

Vancouver, Oct. 31, 2007
Mansa Singh

NRI, Baljinder Kandola, Surrey resident, a Canadian Border Services agent for six year, stationed at the Pacific Highway truck crossing has been arrested alleging that he used his position to allow cocaine and guns to be smuggled across the Canada-U.S. border. Kandola is also charged with breach of trust and bribery

Shortly after crossed the border, NRI Shminder Johal, 34, and Herman Riar, 26, were arrested and charged with importing cocaine to Canada, possession for the purposes of trafficking, conspiracy to import cocaine, as well as importing restricted firearms with the help of Baljinder Kandola

Kim Scoville of Canada Border Services Agency said, "For one of their own to use authority and trust as an officer for personal gain would be the ultimate betray."

RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency were investing for the past 13 months and closely watching the Pacific Highway Border crossing in Surrey. Police allege that two luxury SUVs (GMC Yukon Denalis) were allowed to pass through a commercial inspection booth without examination. Police got tip that a border guard had allegedly been allowing vehicles carrying contraband to pass through unexamined.

They found a shipment of 208 kilograms of cocaine, worth $6 million wholesale, plus three handguns and ammunition in one of the vehicles.The police said they later found $200,000 cash in Johal's residence.

Dan Malo, RCMP Insp. of E Division's Border Integrity section, told a news conference:

• The evidence supports the belief that Mr. Kandola previously arranged with Mr. Johal safe passage through the port of entry at this specific time.
• We are unaware of how long the three men have known each other
• We just know that during these last 13 months, they knew each other very well.
• None of the three men had previous criminal records.
• Police had mixed feelings about the probe into Kandola's activities
• Nobody in Canada imports this quantity of cocaine without being involved with organized crime
• There are multitude of charges laid against the three men: Kandola faces six, Johal and Riar face four each
• Twenty-five officers worked continuously over the 13 months to collect evidence
• The evidence supports the belief that Mr. Kandola previously arranged with Mr. Johal safe passage through the port of entry at this specific time

Kandola was a full-time employee who finished his recruit training, including a ‘reliability’ check, in June 2001, and has worked at the truck side of the port ever since.There is no word on how long Baljinder Kandola has been tied to Criminal Organized crime or how long his involvement has resulted in untold amounts of drugs, money and guns to pass freely through our borders in the 6 years he has been with Canada Border Services. This is certainly a blow to Border guards on both sides of the border who feel they in a losing the battle on the War on Drugs.

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$6m in drugs, Cash, Guns seized at Pacific Border crossing to Canada- 3 NRs ARRESTED