Canadian Smuggler Jailed 30 Months for Marijuana Haul

Ajaypal Dhillon, a 20-year-old Canadian, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for smuggling over 2,000 pounds of marijuana at the Peace Bridge.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, Dhillon was convicted of smuggling merchandise into the United States and was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra, Jr.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Adler stated that on July 27, 2023, Dhillon drove a commercial tractor-trailer to the Peace Bridge Port of Entry seeking entry into the United States from Canada. Dhillon claimed he was transporting frozen waffles destined for a Publix grocery store warehouse in Georgia.

However, Publix representatives revealed that the shipment was not expected, and the purported shipper of the product confirmed that the shipment was fraudulent. Dhillon was referred to secondary inspection, where Customs and Border Protection officers discovered boxes containing over 2,000 pounds of marijuana and over 50 kilograms of ketamine.

Further investigation revealed that Dhillon had made five prior fraudulent trips, four of which involved the transport of candy, and the fifth was for frozen waffles after an attempt to transport “candy” was denied by the customs broker.

The sentencing is the result of an investigation by Customs and Border Protection, under the direction of Director of Field Operations Rose Brophy, and Homeland Security Investigations, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Scarpino.

Dhillon’s sentence serves as a warning to would-be smugglers attempting to exploit the Peace Bridge and other ports of entry. The investigation and prosecution of Dhillon’s case demonstrate the commitment of law enforcement agencies to preventing the flow of illicit goods into the United States.