Ted Karl Faupel, of Cochrane, has been sentenced to 10 years in a US prison for his attempt to smuggle nearly 1,432 lb. (649.54 kg) of methamphetamine from the States into Canada.
The 51-year-old man was arrested on May 25, 2022 on Puget Sound near the San Juan Islands when a patrol of U.S. Customs and Border Protection noticed a 18’ Bayliner Capri speedboat, with Canadian registration numbers, to be riding suspiciously low.
Law enforcement seized 28 locked duffle bags loaded with 539 packages of highly pure methamphetamine. Faupel also had a loaded 9mm handgun within reach, which he claimed was for protection while hiking.
“This huge load of methamphetamine represents hundreds of thousands of doses on the streets of Canada,” states U.S. Attorney Nick Brown in a news release. “We know violent criminal gangs get rich off the pain of addiction. I am glad this shipment is off the streets and not furthering addiction and the gang violence that is part and parcel of the drug trade.”
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James L. Robart noted that gang paraphernalia was found in the boat.
“You don’t start transporting drugs for (a violent street gang) if you fear for your family…. This is a very dangerous group and (Faupel) chose to gamble with his family’s safety.”
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations, Office of Field Operations, and Border Patrol.
Tue, May 14, 10:15 AM
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