FIVE YEARS FOR BORDER GUARD WHO HELPED SMUGGLE COKE

Abbotsford's Jasbir Grewal Sentenced in Seattle Courtroom

A Canada Border Services Agency border guard from Abbotsford who
helped cocaine traffickers smuggle drugs into B.C. has been sentenced
to five years in a U.S. jail, followed by four years of supervised
release.

Jasbir Singh Grewal, 40, was handed the term in a Seattle courtroom
Friday by U.S. district court Judge Robert Lasnik.

Details of Grewal's plea agreement, as well as the U.S. Attorney's
sentencing memo, were sealed under court order.

Grewal, a long-time Abbotsford resident, pleaded guilty in July to one
count of conspiracy to export cocaine from the U.S. into Canada.

The U.S. Attorney alleged Grewal misused his border post to aid a drug
gang linked to the Hells Angels that has already seen high-profile
members including Rob Shannon, Jody York and Devron Quast convicted
and sentenced in the United States.

Also charged in Washington state in connection with the same drug ring
is former RCMP officer Rapinder (Rob) Sidhu, who is currently on trial
in Surrey, B.C., for impersonating a police officer to illegally
access information about the Bacon brothers' location.

That trial has been adjourned until March 2012.

The Sidhu indictment said the ex-cop, who left the RCMP in 2003 in the
middle of an internal investigation, "recruited an employee of the
Canada Border Services Agency, who agreed to allow and did allow
vehicles containing cocaine to pass through his lane at the
Lynden/Aldergrove Port of Entry."

Grewal was originally charged in November 2008, though a U.S. warrant
wasn't issued until June 2009.

The U.S. indictment said Grewal llowed at least 12 large shipments of
ocaine concealed in motor homes to ross into B.C. from Washington state.

"Jasbir Singh Grewal, an employee f the Canada Border Services Agency,
bused his position of trust and influnce with the government of Canada
y allowing the co-conspirators travlling by recreational vehicles to
exit he United States through the Lynden/ Aldergrove Port of Entry,"
the indictment said.

"Jasbir Singh Grewal was typically paid $50,000 for successfully
smuggling each load of cocaine."

The court documents laid out in detail one of the shipments linked to
Grewal.

"In July 2007, Jasbir Singh Grewal was on duty at the Aldergrove point
of entry. He was wearing his department-issued uniform in service of
the Canada Border Services Agency. Jasbir Singh Grewal was told by
telephone that a recreational vehicle containing cocaine was soon to
approach the international border crossing.

"The driver of the recreational vehicle was told to approach the
crossing at a specific booth that was staffed by Jasbir Singh Grewal.
The driver complied with his instruction and Jasbir Singh Grewal
knowingly passed the vehicle containing the cocaine. . . . In exchange
for the vehicle to pass, Jasbir Singh Grewal was paid $50,000."

The U.S. Attorney also said that prior to July 24, 2007, Grewal made
arrangements with associates to import 270 kilograms of cocaine and
earned an extra $600,000 US in the last six months of 2007 alone.

"Jasbir Singh Grewal failed to docurder crossings each time the
recreational vehicle containing cocaine passed into Canada. He did so
to avoid detection by law enforcement to his and his conspirators
illegal activities."

The drug ring moved more than $19 million worth of marijuana south and
cocaine north over five years ending in 2008, the U.S. Attorney said.

So far, 24 B.C. men have pleaded guilty to their roles in the massive
operation and received sentences ranging from probation to 20 years
behind bars.