Arden McCann, a resident of Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, on the South Shore of Montreal, will be extradited to the United States on charges of conspiracy to traffic in fentanyl and other drugs.
Judge Yvan Poulin, of the Superior Court, ruled so last Friday, because this crime is punishable in Canada and because he has had proof that McCann is the one the Americans want to bring before the courts.
McCann, who turned 34 this weekend, was arrested in February 2020 by Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigators, who also searched his residence, at the request of Justice Canada and his counterparts. Americans.
According to a US court document, McCann began exporting fentanyl, an opioid 40 times more potent than heroin, carfentanil, aprazolam – which he passed off as Xanax – and other drugs to the United States. United at the end of 2015.
He used pseudonyms and offered these drugs on the underground internet platform AlphaBay, which was dismantled following a police operation in 2017.
McCann bought the drugs and precursor products from China, South Korea or elsewhere and had them delivered to American customers who had become intermediaries.
They processed the drug and mailed it to American consumers. All transactions were made in cryptocurrency.
Betrayed by technology and accomplices
Torchbearers or associates, who became collaborating witnesses, helped the police to corner McCann and will eventually testify against him. One of them even celebrated the passing of the New Year by visiting McCann on December 31, 2015 and allowed the police to identify him.
PHOTO FILED IN COURT
Arden mccann
Scans of the AlphaBay site’s servers and three encrypted hard drives and electronic devices seized by the RCMP at McCann also provided additional evidence.
According to the American police, McCann would have carried out, on its various sales sites, more than 10,400 orders for sums totaling more than 13 million US – 16.6 million CAN – between November 2015 and July 2017.
American justice maintains that the drug exported by McCann to the United States is at the origin of a fatal overdose and another non-fatal in South Carolina.
The 34-year-old will be tried in the state of Georgia. He carries a long sentence if found guilty.
As soon as Justice Poulin ordered his extradition, McCann was taken into custody.
He will not be extradited for 30 days, which represents the period during which he can appeal the decision of the Superior Court if he wants to avoid extradition. He could also address the Minister of Justice of Canada.
“For the time being, we are in the process of thinking about what to do next,” his lawyer, Mr.e Pierre Poupart.
Me Laurent Brisebois and Me Frédéric Hivon, from the federal prosecution, represented Justice Canada in this case.
To reach Daniel Renaud, dial 514 285-7000, extension 4918, write to [email protected] or write to the postal address of Press.