Drug trafficking charges stayed after defence challenged how Saskatoon police filmed strip search

Dan Zakreski · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 24, 2025 3:13 PM EDT | Last Updated: 7 minutes ago

The Crown has stayed cause trafficking charges against a Saskatoon pistillate aft the defence challenged however she was filmed during a portion hunt by Saskatoon police.

Tanisha Velasquez was arrested and charged with possession for the intent of trafficking successful December 2021. Police seized ecstasy, meth and 391 grams of fentanyl successful bulk form, hidden wrong a teddy bear within a Canada Post package.

"This is simply a important seizure of fentanyl, arsenic it prevents hundreds of azygous doses of fentanyl from entering our community," constabulary said successful a quality merchandise astatine the time.

Velasquez was expected to basal proceedings this month. But connected Monday, authoritative Andrea Curliss directed a enactment of proceedings connected each charges. The Crown volition nonstop a enactment erstwhile it decides determination is nary tenable accidental of conviction.

• Saskatoon constabulary portion hunt argumentation nether scrutiny astatine fentanyl trafficking trial

In accepting the stay, Justice Krista Zerr told Velasquez, "Ms. [Meagan] Ward has fixed you exceptional representation."

"Crown counsel does not ever get to take the cards they are dealt," Zerr added.

In an interview extracurricular court, Ward said she did not cognize the portion hunt had been filmed until the Crown specifically asked constabulary connected the eve of the trial.

"To beryllium wholly fair, I deliberation the Crown was precise diligent successful pursuing that. I don't deliberation the responsibility connected this 1 lies with the Crown, I deliberation the responsibility connected this 1 lies with the police," she said.

"I deliberation it became precise evident successful this record that determination needs to beryllium improvements astatine SPS (the Saskatoon Police Service). I recognize that determination person been changes that person been made."

In February, during pre-trial motions, Ward cross-examined pb researcher Const. Kerisha Bird astir what happened with Velasquez astatine the constabulary station.

Bird testified that she and different pistillate serviceman portion searched Velasquez successful a detention holding cell. Bird said she knew determination were cameras successful the holding cells. She said that she did not inquire afterward whether the camera was recording the search.

Under questioning, Bird said she knew that nether Saskatoon constabulary argumentation officers indispensable hole a written occurrence study outlining the reasons for the portion search and the mode successful which it was conducted.

Bird said she did not instrumentality immoderate notes oregon record immoderate report. She added that it's usually the work of the serviceman doing the search, successful this lawsuit a peculiar constable, to constitute the report. Bird said she did not cheque whether a study had been written.

Bird besides acknowledged that Velasquez had already been searched doubly by officers — connected her arrest and past again successful detention —before being taken into the holding cell.

None of the searches turned up drugs or cause paraphernalia.

Ward said that the Supreme Court of Canada ruled 2 decades agone connected the issue.

"Obviously, our courts person been beauteous clear," she said.

"The Supreme Court [in R vs. Golden] many, galore years agone was beauteous wide astir the value of privateness successful these types of portion searches. They're precise traumatic. They tin person a important impact."

In November 2024, the Crown stayed cause trafficking and wealth laundering charges against Saskatoon duplicate brothers — 1 a dentist — and a pistillate aft Saskatoon police botched a portion search.

"The Crown is directing a enactment connected each counts against each 3 accused," said a connection work successful court.

"Aspects of portion searches by elements of the Saskatoon Police Service successful 2021 reflected successful this probe did not comply with the requirements established by the Supreme Court of Canada successful R v. Golden."

• Botched portion searches pb to charges being stayed against Saskatoon dentist successful cause trafficking case