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Air Canada Worker Charged in Alleged 66-Kilogram Cannabis Export Plot at Pearson

The case spotlights how insider access to baggage tags can slip drugs into the system at a major hub.

Overview

  • RCMP, which announced the case Monday, said CBSA found about 66 kilograms of cannabis in two identical checked bags for a flight to Germany.
  • Police say an airline baggage-room employee attached tags with two unsuspecting passengers’ names to the suitcases, and both travelers later denied owning the bags.
  • Investigators identified the employee as 32-year-old Atasha Weathley of Mississauga, who was arrested March 12 and charged with possession for the purpose of export and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence.
  • Weathley was released on bail with conditions and is scheduled to appear in Brampton court on April 10.
  • Canada’s Cannabis Act forbids taking cannabis across borders, and the incident underscores how baggage-tag control can be exploited despite domestic legalization.