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Carson border coke smuggler sentenced to 14 years in jail

Originally published April 8. One half of the couple that attempted to smuggle 83 kilos of cocaine across the border in December will be serving a lengthy jail term.
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Scott Fleming Powers received 14 years for smuggling 83 kilograms of cocaine across the Carson Port of Entry in a 2007 Dodge Caravan in December 2010. The drugs were stashed in secret compartments.

Originally published April 8

One half of the couple that attempted to smuggle 83 kg of cocaine across the border in December will be serving a lengthy jail term.

Scott Fleming Powers, 49, pleaded guilty to the charge of importing the drugs into Canada and was sentenced to 13 years, eight months in jail – he was given four months credit for the time served.

Following that he will have a 10-year firearm prohibition and will also have to provide DNA samples to authorities on request.

Powers was convicted for the charge of importing the drugs under the Controlled Drug and Substances Act (CDSA) section 6 (1).

The charges against Diane Marie Green Powers, 55, were stayed and the 2007 Dodge Caravan that was used to bring the drugs into Canada was forfeited to the Crown.

On Dec. 16, the couple from Republic, Wash. was passing through the Carson Port of Entry into Canada, when border services noticed inconsistencies in the couple’s story.

The Powers said they were headed to Grand Forks for the day to shop but after border officers noticed luggage and asked the couple about it, they changed their story and said they might also head to Kelowna.

The subsequent search of the van revealed 83 kg of cocaine in hidden compartments where ‘Stow ‘n Go’ seats were supposed to be – the seats had been removed.

The sentencing took place at the provincial court in Kamloops, B.C. yesterday (Thursday, April 7).