Surrey, B.C., drug dealers admit role in supplying Yukon

Two B.C. men admitted at a Whitehorse court hearing Wednesday their role in supplying Yukon drug dealers.

Asif Aslam and Matthew Truesdaleof Surrey, B.C., pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine.

The two were arrested in November2013 as part ofa bust police calledone of the most significant organized crime investigations inYukon "Operation Monolith."

Court heard this week thatin 2013AslamandTruesdalearranged to send 1.7 kilograms of cocaine to Yukon through a longtime Whitehorse drug dealer.That dealer had become a police agent not long before, and immediately turned the drugs over to police in Surrey.

Lawyers for Aslam and Truesdaleplanned to fight their charges by challenging the legality of evidence against them but instead worked out a plea bargain with Crown prosecutors.

They are free on bail conditions, with sentencing scheduled for March.

Their convictions are the third and fourthstemming from Operation Monolith.

Kuntoniah Graham, also known as Jimmy Graham, was convicted in early September of cocaine trafficking, and Jessie Ritchie was convicted earlier this week of cocaine and marijuana trafficking. None has been sentenced yet.

A trafficking chargeagainst Jason McMillan, another Operation Monolith target, was dismissed in September but prosecutors are appealing that ruling.

Police say they are still pursuing a sixth suspect.