Alaaddin Koc was sentenced to one year in prison after attempting to smuggle 31 kilograms of cannabis through YVR

Alaaddin Koc, 56, of Windsor, Ont., was headed for a London-bound flight via Heathrow Airport on Oct. 28, 2024, when the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) intercepted him at Vancouver International Airport (YVR). Officers seized about 31 kilograms of cannabis from his suitcase. Koc was released pending further investigation by the Federal Policing Pacific Region (FPPR). After charges were approved under the Cannabis Act, he failed to appear in court. A Canada-wide arrest warrant was issued, and authorities eventually found him in Ontario.

Koc pleaded guilty on July 27, 2026, to possessing cannabis for the purpose of exportation. On Sept. 21, he was sentenced to one year in prison. Richmond Provincial Court confirmed to the Richmond News that, with credit for time served, 251 days—about eight months—remain on his sentence. The court also confirmed that the lifetime firearms prohibition covers restricted and prohibited weapons and ammunition.

Cannabis is legal in Canada, but an illicit market remains active, said Staff Sgt. Rhonda Hislop, acting officer-in-charge of the Border Integrity Program (Air & Marine). She said the outbound flow of illicit drugs remains a focus for multiple international partners and a priority for the FPPR Border Integrity Program. CBSA's ongoing support is critical to enforcement efforts, she said. FPPR thanked Richmond RCMP, the Windsor Border Integrity team and Windsor Police Services for their assistance with the investigation.