Conservative Minister Tim Uppal’s Brother Arrested And Charged In Edmonton Drug Bust

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Minister Uppal’s Younger Brother Raymanpreet Singh Uppal Faces Multiple Drug And Gun Charges!

“Yesterday, I learned through the media of charges against my brother. I have always spoken out against drugs in our communities. Anyone found guilty of such offences should face the full force of the law,” said Tim Uppal, 40, who represents Edmonton-Sherwood Park and is Canada’s multiculturalism minister.

EDMONTON – The younger brother of Sikh Conservative cabinet minister Tim Uppal has been arrested and charged in an Edmonton drug bust. Tim Uppal, 40, represents Edmonton-Sherwood Park and is Canada’s multiculturalism minister.

Raymanpreet Singh Uppal, the younger brother of the first Conservative turbaned Sikh minister, was one of four men nabbed in an Edmonton police drug sting, reported Edmonton Journal.

On Tuesday, Edmonton police announced four people had been charged in a “dial-a-dope” operation in which nearly $35,000 worth of cocaine and marijuana was seized from three Edmonton residences.

Raymanpreet Uppal, 28, was one of four men charged with possession for the purpose of trafficking, possession of stolen property over $5,000 and weapons offences.

In an emailed statement, Tim Uppal confirmed his brother had been charged.

“Yesterday, I learned through the media of charges against my brother. I have always spoken out against drugs in our communities. Anyone found guilty of such offences should face the full force of the law,” Minister Uppal said.

Earlier this year, the Edmonton Police Service Specialized Traffic Apprehension Team (STAT) launched an investigation after receiving information about a “dial-a-dope” operation.

Officers discovered that it was not a one-man operation, but a group of people involved.

On Nov. 20, STAT members executed search warrants on three south-side residences and a vehicle.

They seized two handguns and ammunition, a Taser, $12,000 in Canadian currency, $26,900 worth of cocaine (370 g), $1,350 worth of marijuana (90 g), $6,340 worth of buff, used as a cutting agent to dilute cocaine and maximize profits (90 g) and $332 worth of hashish (16 g).

Aside from Raymanpreet Singh Uppal, others charged include Arman Deep Singh Hanjrah, 21; John Edward Saul, 27; and Jared Joseph Perner, 25. They were each charged with three counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession of stolen property over $5,000.

Saul, Uppal and Perner also face weapons-related offences.

So far this year, STAT has seized seven firearms, 120 other illegal weapons including knives, machetes, swords, brass knuckles, tasers, pepper spray, batons, and ammunition, 4,489 grams of marijuana, 251 grams of hashish and several other drugs. They’ve laid 2,392 criminal charges with 842 of those associated to drugs and violence.

STAT Const. Jessie Poonian said police discovered that the scheme wasn’t a single-person operation, but was a group effort and different suspects were assigned to different roles.

“These individuals worked together for their own benefit to distribute drugs on the street,” said Poonian.