A Brampton, Ont., man has received a six-month conditional sentence after pleading guilty to attempting to smuggle opium into Canada through the North Portal border crossing.
Iqbal Kahlon was sentenced in Estevan Provincial Court following a March 4 border search that uncovered approximately 67 grams of opium concealed in a vitamin D3 bottle, according to submissions made in court.
Opium found during border search
Canada Border Services Agency officers searched Kahlon’s commercial truck as he attempted to enter Canada at North Portal on March 4, 2026.
A drug detection dog indicated the presence of narcotics in a bottle labelled as vitamin D3. Officers then discovered approximately 250 pills containing a total of 67 grams of opium, the Crown told the court.
The border agency contacted the RCMP, which continued the investigation and arrested Kahlon. He faced allegations involving the importation of a controlled substance under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act and smuggling goods into Canada under the Customs Act.
The Crown told the court that border officials had also identified a previous incident, approximately six months earlier, when Kahlon was found with 13 grams of opium while crossing into Ontario. The substance was seized at that time, but the incident did not result in a criminal court penalty.
The Crown said the previous incident was an aggravating factor, as Kahlon had already encountered authorities over bringing opium across the border.
However, the prosecution said there was no evidence that the opium seized in March was intended for sale or distribution. The circumstances appeared consistent with personal use, and Kahlon had no criminal record.
The Crown also noted that the potential immigration consequences of a criminal conviction were relevant to the proposed resolution.
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Six-month sentence to be served in the community
The court accepted a joint submission from the Crown and defence for a six-month conditional sentence order.
Kahlon pleaded guilty to attempting to smuggle goods into Canada under the Customs Act. The Crown proceeded with that charge rather than the drug-importation allegation.
Under the order, Kahlon must keep the peace and be of good behaviour, report to a supervisor, follow residence requirements and obtain permission before leaving Saskatchewan.
He must also refrain from possessing or consuming controlled substances or drugs not prescribed by a medical doctor, participate in addiction assessments or programming if directed by his probation officer, and complete 25 hours of community service within the first five months of the order.
The judge explained that although the sentence would be served in the community, it remained a custodial sentence. A breach of the conditions could result in Kahlon being required to serve the remainder in jail.
Defence counsel described Kahlon as a dedicated family man who supports his family. Counsel said Kahlon has owned and operated his own transportation company since 2002 and takes pride in his work and responsibility to his family. He expressed remorse, accepted responsibility for his actions, and said he wanted to make better decisions moving forward.
Kahlon resides in Ontario. The court explained that he would need permission from his probation supervisor to leave Saskatchewan under the conditions of the sentence. He is expected to serve the community portion of his sentence in Ontario once the necessary permission is granted and supervision arrangements are made.
The court also ordered the forfeiture of the seized opium and the vitamin bottles used to conceal it. The criminal victim surcharge was waived.
The sentence concludes the court proceedings related to the March border seizure.