Ontario trucker found at border with as much as $29M worth of meth sentenced to 12 years

A Brampton, Ont., man convicted of smuggling 200 kilograms of methamphetamine into Canada via the Ambassador Bridge has received a12-yearprison sentence.

Mohamed Ahmed Abdirahman, 40, was convicted in April oncharges of importing methamphetamine and possession of the drug for the purpose of trafficking.

At the time the charges werelaid in 2019, the Canada Border Services Agency said it was "the largest methamphetamine seizure, on record, for the CBSA within the past seven years."

His lawyer, Jessica Grbevski, said that she and her client werepleased with the sentence handed down Wednesday.

"It is a lot oftime in jail, but it's what we're essentially asking for, the range we were expecting," she said.

The defence had sought 10 to 12 years, while the Crown had sought a stiffer 16 to 18-year sentence, Grbevski said.

Abdirahman's sentence ends in about 11years due to credit for time served.

According to the decision,196.7 kilograms of methamphetamine were seized from inside the cab of Abdirahman's tractor-trailer as he was trying to enter Canadaviathe Ambassador Bridge onDec. 24, 2019.

He was returning to Canada after drivingto California for aBrampton-based trucking company. On that trip, hehad correspondence with a contact dubbed "El Chapo" and took a detour to Mexico.

A law enforcement expert testified the drugs were pure and could be worth anywhere between$4.5 million or $29.4 million, depending on whether it was sold by the gram or the kilo.

During the judge-alone trial, there was nodisputethe meth wasfound in Abdirahman's vehicle, but at issue was whether he knew about it.

CBCNews has contacted the Windsor Crown attorney's office for comment.

Abdirahman is a father of two withno previous criminal record. Grbevski said he has the support of hiscommunity and she has confidence in his rehabilitation.

"He's been involved in different fundraising, assisting with youth within the community, with elderly, so he's got a lot of support," she said.