PRINCE ALBERT — A 22-year-old man who goes by the single name Parteek will be deported to India after serving a seven-year prison sentence for trafficking what police say is the largest quantity of fentanyl ever reported in the city.
Prince Albert Provincial Court heard that the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has already obtained a removal order for Parteek, who came to Canada from India on a study permit in 2022. His application for asylum has been rejected by the federal government.
Judge Jeffrey Lubyk sentenced Parteek to seven years in prison for fentanyl trafficking, four years concurrent for methamphetamine trafficking, two years concurrent for cocaine trafficking, and two years concurrent for proceeds of crime over $5,000.
He was given credit of 1.5 days (506 days total) for each day he was on remand since his arrest last year.
Parteek’s defence lawyer had asked for a global sentence of two years going forward, arguing that Parteek’s certain deportation should be given significant weight as a collateral consequence.
But Judge Lubyk rejected that argument.
“In my view, to suggest that a sentence be fashioned to hasten the deportation process would not reflect the principles of proportionality that exist in this case as to the gravity of the offence and the degree of Parteek's responsibility,” he said.
Judge Lubyk added that the Supreme Court of Canada has held that “a sentencing judge is not required to alter an otherwise appropriate sentence to adjust for the collateral consequence of immigration status.”
The Crown had sought eight years of incarceration on the fentanyl charge alone, with five years concurrent for methamphetamine, and two years concurrent for both cocaine trafficking and proceeds of crime.
The court also ordered Parteek to provide a DNA sample to the National DNA Data Bank.
Massive drug seizure
Parteek was arrested on July 2, 2025, following a two-day surveillance operation by Prince Albert Police Service. Police had received information from a confidential informant that an unknown person — later identified as Parteek — was trafficking drugs.
Police executed a search warrant at Parteek's home and seized 453 grams of fentanyl, police also found 1,620 grams of methamphetamine, 34 grams of cocaine, and $10,700 in cash.
An expert report from an RCMP officer classified Parteek as a mid- to high-level trafficker. The estimated street value of fentanyl was $43,300, while the methamphetamine was valued between $32,400 and $48,600. At the street level, the cocaine was valued at $2,760 to $3,400.
Court heard that cellphone evidence suggested Parteek used rental cars and Airbnbs in an effort to avoid detection, behaviour the judge said was “consistent with high-level trafficking” and suggested sophistication.
Judge cites devastating impacts of fentanyl
Judge Lubyk referred extensively to case law describing the severe harm caused by hard drugs, particularly fentanyl.
“People who contribute to the large-scale distribution of fentanyl within our communities are a source of far greater harm than even those responsible for the most violent crimes,” said Judge Lubyk, quoting the Supreme Court of Canada.
About methamphetamine, the judge cited a 2019 Prince Albert court decision that said there was an “increasing frequency of property crime in Prince Albert” and that “the significant number of cases, if not the majority, are driven by people who suffer from addiction to crystal methamphetamine.”
Personal circumstances
Court heard Parteek was 21 at the time of the offences. He has no prior criminal record in Canada. His student permit expired in 2025, and that’s when he moved from Ontario to Prince Albert.
The judge said Parteek wasn’t a street-level dealer, nor was he the boss, but he said he found that Parteek held “an important role in the trafficking operation.”
Parteek didn’t use drugs, and his motivation, said Judge Lubyk, was “purely financial.”
