232807
230128

Canada  

Cocaine for OxyContin

A member of the Hells Angels says he never intended to ship cocaine from Ontario to Saskatoon but strung along a police informant because the man was his sole source of drugs for his back pain.

Rob Allen, 36, testified Wednesday at his trial for cocaine trafficking, charges laid under the RCMP's Project Forseti, which saw 19 locations raided across Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Noel Harder, the Crown's only witness in the case, has testified police instructed him to continue working on a plan to see Allen organize the movement of cocaine between the provinces.

Allen testified that Harder pestered him constantly about using his contacts with Hells Angels in Ontario to get cocaine.

Under questioning from the Crown, Allen insisted he never had any way of actually getting cocaine delivered to Saskatoon, but said he strung Harder along in order to avoid losing his source of OxyContin, which he became hooked on after injuring his back.

In earlier testimony, Harder acknowledged that Allen often delayed meetings or came up with reasons why his Hells Angels friends in Ontario couldn't meet up.

He acknowledged he never actually got any cocaine from Allen.

Under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, the Crown can secure a trafficking conviction by proving there was an offer to sell drugs, even if no drugs actually change hands.

Allen is a full-patch member of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club, according to an agreed statement of facts in the case.



More Canada News