Trucker Guilty Of Smuggling 3.9million Worth of Cocaine At The Ambassador Bridge
A Kitchener truck driver has been found guilty of trying to smuggle a large amount of cocaine into Canada through the Ambassador Bridge.
Following a trial, a Windsor judge found Drago Knezevic, 57, guilty of importing a substance and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
In June 2011 after being referred to secondary inspection, Canada border officers found two suitcases in the trailer of the truck containing 39 brick of cocaine with a street value of $3.9-million.
Knezevic was shipping a load of raspberries from California to Etobicoke and he denied knowledge of the drugs.
But Justice Christopher Bondy ruled given the totality of the evidence which included notes on a note pad referring to the numbers 18 and 21 which matched the number of bricks in each suitcase along with directions to unknown locations, a receipt for a burner phone and gloves, he found Knezevic guilty of the charges.
Prosecutor Richard Pollock says it was the right decision.
"When you consider the harm that this drug does to families and to the community, it is significant," says Pollock.
Pollock points out Knezevic, who immigrated to Canada from Serbia, is facing a long time behind bars.
"I would expect Mr. Pollock will seek a sentence between 15 and 19 years," said defence lawyer Ken Marley. "I've seen sentences as high as that and as low as 8-10 years but I would think the sentence will likely be in that range."
Marley says his client is not happy with the outcome.
"I'm sure that in his heart, he is very disappointed for what has happened especially when he was acquitted the first time."
This was Knezevic's second trial. He was found not guilty during his first trial, but the crown appealed.
Sentencing has been put over to a future date.