Winnipeg man gets 4 years prison

Key drug figure jailed four years

Role in meth ring nets 4 years

- A key figure in a massive ephedrine smuggling network has been sentenced to four years in federal prison via a joint sentencing recommendation by Crown and Defence.
- Also ordered to forfeit $4 million is cash and property that was deemed the proceeds of crime. 

- David Sokalski, 39, pleaded guilty to selling ephedrine without a licence and possession of proceeds of crime.
- It was one of the largest international drug smuggling cases ever uncovered in Canada

- Arrested Sept. 2004
- He admitted he was a key player in the conspiracy where ephedrine was smuggled into the US to meth labs run by the Mexican Mafia. 

- Ephedrine, a strictly controlled drug used in the production of cold medications, is also a key ingredient in crystal methamphetamine.

- Sokalski was the “main business associate” of Roger Bruneau, a co-accused who has since died.

- Bruneau purchased 10 million metric tonnes of ephedrine from a seller in Thunder Bay, Ont.

- Bruneau resold the drug to buyers in the U.S., while Sokalski took responsibility for the Canadian market.
- It was alleged the ephedrine was legally imported into Canada through a Thunder Bay, Ont., company, but was soon diverted to the black market.
- It's banned in the United States and Health Canada regulates its sale in this country.

- Police seized $3.8 million in cash and goods investigators say were tied to Sokalski’s sale of ephedrine.

- “Sokalski generated an enormous amount of proceeds of crime from his unlicensed sale of ephedrine"
- Defence said, "He realizes what he did was wrong and unlawful."
- Defence said the former owner of a local cleaning company got caught up in the ability to make quick, easy cash after being approached by others about helping out.
- More than 80 people were indicted in the case in Canada, California and Mexico after more than 250 police officers conducted 34 raids in September 2004.
- RCMP say they seized 9,000 kilograms of ephedrine, worth an estimated $14.5 million on the street as meth, along with $3.5 million cash. A total of 10 Manitobans were arrested.
- Sokalski stashed much of his drug profits in properties, vehicles and businesses he purchased for himself and family members, court was told. There are now numerous forfeiture orders against these items.

I am not very educated about this case or about precedents in this area so I don't really have an opinion about this case. But if the Judge imposed 4 years, I would assume that that would be an appropriate sanction in their eyes. It seems fair enough to me.