UPDATE: Suspect in heroin seizure to spend weekend in jail
A Kamloops man implicated in a six-figure heroin bust at an Aberdeen hotel this week will spend the weekend behind bars before learning the fate of his bail application.
Guljit Singh appeared in Kamloops provincial court on Friday, Sept. 14, seeking bail on a charge of possession of heroin for the purpose of trafficking.
The 43-year-old Thompson Rivers University student was arrested at about 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 12, outside the Canada's Best Value Inn on Rogers Way.
Federal Crown prosecutor Anthony Varesi said police spent the better part of the day monitoring Singh after receiving source information he and his wife were in possession of a large quantity of heroin.
Police learned the couple had been staying at the hotel for about two weeks.
A search of their room turned up 502 grams of heroin in a closet, Varesi said, in addition to about 20 grams of heroin in bags in the kitchen.
Court heard drug residue was also found on digital scales in the kitchen of the suite.
Varesi said the wholesale value of the drugs is about $70,000, but it would fetch about $100,000 on the street.
Defence lawyer Jeremy Jensen said Singh's sister-in-law is willing to have the accused and his family live at her Abbeyglen Way home in Aberdeen while out on bail.
The woman testified she has $100,000 equity in her four-bedroom home and is aware she could lose it if Singh breached his bail.
She also said she would be willing to post $10,000 to get him out of jail.
Kamloops provincial court Judge Sheri Donegan reserved her decision on bail until Monday, Sept. 17.
Singh's wife was also arrested on Wednesday, but was released without charge.
At a press conference this week, police said they also seized $1,000 cash and a small amount of cocaine from the hotel room.
Singh was convicted of drug-trafficking charges in 2005 and fined $750.
COMMENTS
Let's keep comments:
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters.
We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.