The applicants sought certiorari to quash their committals for trial following a preliminary inquiry on charges relating to a large cocaine importation scheme.
Police had intercepted a shipping container containing 112 kilograms of cocaine concealed in wooden pallets and conducted a controlled delivery, leading to arrests after the pallets were opened.
The applicants argued there was insufficient evidence of knowledge of the cocaine to permit committal.
Applying the limited weighing standard from R. v. Arcuri, the court held that the circumstantial evidence permitted reasonable inferences of knowledge and participation, including involvement in opening the container and dismantling pallets containing narcotics valued at approximately $4 million.
The court concluded that a properly instructed jury could reasonably infer guilt and that the preliminary inquiry judge did not err in committing the applicants to stand trial.
