WEYBURN, Sask. — A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for two men charged in an opium bust in Weyburn earlier this year.
Gurmukh Singh of Weyburn and Surinder Singh Sanghera of the United Kingdom had their matters before Weyburn Provincial Court on Nov. 10. A one-day preliminary hearing was scheduled for both men on May 27, 2027, in Weyburn to determine whether there is enough evidence for the case to proceed to trial.
Singh's lawyer, Linh Pham, indicated that Singh wanted a trial in the Court of King's Bench before a judge and jury, preceded by the preliminary hearing.
Sanghera's lawyer, Steve Virk, said his instructions were to seek a trial in provincial court to expedite the process, since Sanghera is a foreign national and one of his release conditions prohibits him from leaving the country.
"The concern was that a King's Bench trial would take much longer," said Virk.
The lawyers said they did not want the proceedings severed.
According to court documents, the men are now charged with one count each of possession of opium for the purpose of trafficking, trafficking in opium and importing opium under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act; possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 under the Criminal Code; and smuggling under the Customs Act.
Background: In a news release, the Weyburn Police Service (WPS) said its Criminal Investigation and Drug Enforcement Unit, with the assistance of the WPS Patrol Section, the Winnipeg Police Service and the Canada Border Services Agency, concluded an investigation into the importation and trafficking of opium.
During the investigation, search warrants were executed at a residence and a hotel room in Weyburn. As a result, the WPS said police seized approximately 4.3 kilograms of suspected opium, approximately $4,000 in Canadian currency and additional evidence believed to be related to the importation and trafficking of controlled substances.
A later news release from the WPS pegged the estimated street value of the opium at $340,000.
SaskToday will continue to monitor the story.
