Proceedings stayed in $1.8M cocaine seizure case

Edmonton police seized $1.8 million worth of cocaine in October 2023. (CTV News Edmonton)

The case against a man accused of possessing $1.8 million worth of cocaine has been put on hold.

On Oct. 27, 2023, Randhir Singh Gill, 40, was pulled over and arrested after Edmonton police say they found 40.5 kg of cocaine in his vehicle.

Gill was charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking and appeared in court in November.

EPS said it was "the largest single-location seizure of cocaine" in Edmonton police history at the time.

"We won't reveal too much intelligence on the individual and his ties to organized crime, but typically, when you're looking at this type of level of drug seizure, organized crime is involved," said Staff Sgt. Eric Stewart in 2023.

On Jan. 10, 2024, a stay of proceedings was entered for this case, the Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) confirmed to CTV News Edmonton.

"As no reasons were provided on the record, we have no further information to provide," added Nathalie Houle with the PPSC.

A stay of proceedings should be entered "if the available evidence does not meet the reasonable prospect of conviction standard, the decision to prosecute threshold is not met and the prosecution should not proceed," according to the PPSC website.