The offender was found guilty of importing over 500 kilograms of opium, possession for the purpose of trafficking, and related conspiracy charges.
The Crown sought a life sentence due to the massive quantity of drugs and the offender's role, while the defence sought three to eight years.
The court weighed the paramount objectives of denunciation and deterrence against the offender's lack of prior record, strong community support, and the tragic abduction of his brother related to the drug scheme.
The court imposed a global sentence of 16 years in custody, reduced by 13 months for pre-sentence custody.
