A Scarborough man caught with nearly 93 kg of fresh cannabis in his pickup during a routine traffic stop by Leamington OPP in 2020 was sentenced this week to six months of house arrest, reports the Windsor Star.

Experts testified in the trial that the 92.6 kg of fresh cannabis seized was the equivalent of 18.5 kg of dried cannabis.

The man, Wenhao Chi, a permanent resident of Canada, will not face jail time but could face deportation back to his home country of China. 

The Crown sought a jail term of nine to 12 months due to the large quantity of cannabis seized and the length of the trial. The man’s defence asked for a suspended sentence with 12 months probation and 60 hours of community service or a six-month conditional sentence. 

The Star reports that Chi and a woman, Minjin Yu, were driving in Leamington on October 17, 2020, when their pickup was pulled over under the Highway Traffic Act for non-working taillights shortly after 11 pm. After the OPP officer said they detected a strong smell of cannabis, police found two open bins of cannabis in the vehicle’s back seat, along with additional bins in the covered bed of the pickup.

Yu’s charges were dismissed by the Crown.

Chi immigrated to Canada with his parents and brothers in 2012. He had no previous criminal record. 

In addition to his six-month house arrest, the man was ordered to perform 60 hours of community service. He must remain at home except for work, religious services and approved appointments, except for five hours every Saturday to cover “the necessities of life” (like shopping for groceries). He is also allowed to celebrate the Chinese New Year with his family on January 28, from 11 pm to 1 am.

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