Airport drug suspects released
Police say months-long investigation led to seizure of four kilograms of crystal meth at Fredericton International Airport last week; defendants to return to court Dec. 18
Two men arrested at the Fredericton International Airport last week and charged with drug offences have been released on conditions.
Matthew William Harris, 45, of Main Street in Meductic, and Robert “Rob” Louis Michaud, 52, of no fixed address but formerly of Grand Falls, appeared in Fredericton provincial court Monday for separate bail hearings.
Both are charged with possession of methamphetamine for the purpose of trafficking and simple possession of cocaine.
The charges as a result of a police operation that began in April and culminated in Harris’ and Michaud’s arrests at the Fredericton airport on Thursday, the Woodstock Police Force said in a news release.
It noted the Woodstock Integrated Enforcement Unit - made up of officers from the Woodstock Police Force, the provincial Department of Justice and Public Safety and the RCMP - launched a drug-trafficking investigation in the spring focused on the drug trade in the Town of Woodstock and surrounding communities.
The release said members with that joint unit arrested the two men as well as a woman at the Fredericton airport.
The woman was released and has yet to face any charges.
“The arrests and subsequent search led [the unit] officers to seize approximately four kilos (8.8 pounds) of what investigators believe to be crystal methamphetamine,” it said.
“A sum of Canadian currency was also seized.”
Harris and Michaud were charged in Fredericton provincial court Friday and remanded pending bail hearings scheduled for Monday.
However, when their cases were called, federal prosecutor Jillian Jordan said the Crown was withdrawing its objection to their release as long as they agreed to abide by the conditions of release orders.
Judge Cameron Gunn issued those release orders, and he directed Harris and Michaud to return to court Dec. 18 to elect mode of trial and enter pleas.
Woodstock police Chief Gary Forward said in the release that the investigation is still ongoing.
Don MacPherson can be contacted at ftonindependent@gmail.com.
Catch and release again. Boy, do the bad guys have it good. Free to smuggle more drugs.