The accused brought a Charter application seeking exclusion of evidence obtained following a warrantless arrest for suspected cocaine trafficking.
Police relied on anonymous tips and surveillance showing several brief meetings between the accused and unidentified individuals.
The court held that although officers honestly believed drug trafficking was occurring, the information from informants was unreliable and the observed meetings were capable of innocent explanation.
The police therefore lacked objectively reasonable and probable grounds to arrest.
The arrest violated s. 9 of the Charter and the resulting searches of the accused and his vehicle infringed s. 8.
