Canada-Wide Manhunt for Fugitive Sikh Truck Driver Convicted of Drug Trafficking

A nationwide manhunt is underway in Canada for 60-year-old Sikh truck driver Raj Kumar Mehmi, who fled to India after being sentenced to 15 years in prison for drug trafficking. Mehmi, a resident of Surrey, British Columbia, was found guilty of smuggling 80 kg of cocaine across the Canada-US Pacific Highway border crossing.

A Canada-wide arrest warrant has been issued, and authorities are seeking an Interpol Red Notice to locate and provisionally arrest him pending extradition. Mehmi, who had initially been arrested in 2017, escaped to India on October 11, 2022, just before his sentencing hearing. Despite his Canadian passport being seized, he managed to obtain a new one legally and used it to flee.

The Surrey Provincial Court sentenced him in absentia on November 16, 2023, to 15 years for drug importation and an additional six years for drug possession. Authorities have cautioned the public not to approach Mehmi and urged them to contact local police agencies if they have any information about his whereabouts.