The offender was convicted by a jury of importing approximately 474 grams of liquid cocaine into Canada concealed in bottles in luggage.
The offender denied knowledge of the cocaine, asserting the bottles contained honey, but the jury rejected the explanation and found knowledge or wilful blindness.
At sentencing, the court considered the applicable sentencing ranges established by the Ontario Court of Appeal for cocaine importation offences and emphasized denunciation and deterrence as primary objectives.
Mitigating factors included employment, family responsibilities, and limited criminal history, while aggravating factors included planning and deception involved in concealing the drugs.
Applying the two‑to‑five‑year range for importation of approximately 500 grams of cocaine, the court imposed a custodial sentence of 2.5 years.
