METRO VANCOUVER -- A corrupt border guard and the cocaine smuggler who bribed him were handed lengthy jail terms in B.C. Supreme Court Friday.

Former Canada Border Services Agency guard Baljinder Kandola got a 15 year sentence and Shminder Johal, the "overseer" of a cocaine smuggling ring, was handed an 18-year term.

Both were convicted last month on a series of charges, including cocaine smuggling, conspiracy, breach of trust and bribery.

Neither Kandola, 40, nor Johal, 38, accepted Justice Selwyn Romilly's invitation to address the packed courtroom in New Westminster Friday morning before they were led away by sheriffs.

Romilly summarized his decision on sentencing before handing out his 32-page ruling to lawyers and members of the media.

The judge explained that Kandola deserved 14 years for his role in the cocaine conspiracy, plus an additional year for breach of trust "by facilitating the importation of cocaine," for a total term of 15 years.

Johal got 16 years for cocaine smuggling and then an additional two years for smuggling three firearms into B.C. along with the massive cocaine load.

"Society does not benefit from any indication that public officials may be bought," Romilly said of the elaborate operation. "It is necessary for the courts to impose serious sentences in circumstances where private citizens have purchased the abuse of a public official's authority. Such conduct cannot be sanctioned."

Romilly said there were few mitigating factors in the case.

"Aggravating factors include the fact that Kandola breached his position of trust as a border services guard and that he accepted bribes provided by Johal in pursuit of that breach," Romilly said.

"I am satisfied that Johal was the overseer of the operation and that Kandola, as facilitator, played a pivotal role in the importation of drugs into Canada. Their only motivation would appear to be greed."

Both men were arrested in October 2007 after Kandola allowed the group's "transporter" -Herman Riar - through the Pacific Highway border crossing carrying 208 kilos of cocaine and three guns.

Police on both sides of the border had been investigating the smuggling operation for months and had surveillance video and intercepted calls and conversations that made up much of the evidence at trial.

The Vancouver Sun has learned that during the probe, members of the drug gang were seen meeting with the late Tom Gisby, a B.C. cocaine broker gunned down in Mexico in April, and Ranj Cheema, another Vancouver drug smuggler shot to death in May.

Riar was sentenced in January 2010 to 12 years in jail after pleading guilty. Vancouver businessman Charles Lai, who the RCMP said financed the operation, was handed a 13-year sentence in Seattle in June 2009 after being arrested in the U.S.

Outside court Friday, RCMP Sgt. Duncan Pound said the case highlighted the success of cross-border cooperation among law enforcement agencies.

"We do believe that this was a case where you had an organized crime group that established a method to bring cocaine into Canada and they were probably offering their services to whoever would pay them money for it," Pound said. "The fact that now that service is completely gone and there are some very significant sentences applied to the people involved, it is definitely a success story."

Lawyers for both men said they will review Romilly's reasons and discuss possible appeals with their clients.

Danny Markovitz, who represents Johal, said he thought the sentence was too severe for the crime. He had argued for a term of between 12 and 15 years.

"I do feel it is an unfair sentence. I said that all along," he said.

Kandola's lawyer James Sutherland had submitted that a 15-year-term was appropriate, which Romilly accepted.

"It doesn't come as a surprise in one respect. In another respect when you hear it from the court, you really appreciate that's a long time," Sutherland said. "I appreciate the allegations against him, but fundamentally he's a good man and it's difficult."

Kbolan@vancouversun.com

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