Indian-origin lawyer sentenced for drug trafficking

A lawyer of Indian descent in Canada has been jailed for four years on drug trafficking charges, a media report said on Wednesday.

Charged with delivering six grams of banned methamphetamine to an inmate at a remand centre, Justin Sidhu was convicted of drug trafficking in June this year and was sentenced on Tuesday, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) reported.

Hailing from Alberta, Sidhu hid the drug inside birthday and Christmas cards and delivered them to an inmate during a meeting in an un-monitored interview room on September 19, 2013.

The cards were in an envelope and Sidhu got the clearance by telling the guards that the envelope contained privileged documents.

The guards later opened the envelope and found some sheets of paper, one photograph, cigarette rolling papers, a birthday card and a Christmas card and six grams of methamphetamine.

Justice John Little found four-year sentence appropriate for Sidhu as he "abused a position of trust".

Sidhu's lawyer Peter Royal argued that there is no evidence his client knew the drugs were inside the cards, the report said.

Royal said his client wants to appeal meaning Sidhu will still remain out of jail.