Police seize drugs from luggage at 2 airports; 3 Nunavut men arrested

Three men from Nunavut have been arrested for trafficking drugs into the territory.

In a news release, Nunavut RCMP say the arrests concludean investigation that centred on two men travelling between Igloolik and Ottawa "with the intention of bringing marijuana back intothe territory of Nunavut."

Sebastian Kopak, 30, of Igloolik, and Judah Palluq, 27, from Hall Beach, were arrested at the Ottawa airport on Oct. 15. The RCMP say the Ottawa Police Service seized more than one kilogram of marijuana, almost one kilogram of hash, cannabis candies and "trafficking supplies" from the mens' luggage.

Palluq has been charged with seven counts of possession for the purpose of trafficking; Kopak is facing two counts of possession for the purposes of trafficking.

Both men have been released and have court dates in Ottawa.

3rd man arrested

During the course of the investigation, RCMP say a third man, Shawn Panipakutsuk, was also arrested after getting off a flight from Ottawa to Iqaluit.

RCMP say officers found nearly two kilograms of marijuana and cannabis candies in his luggage. The 27-year-old from Hall Beach has been charged with one count of possession of marijuana for thepurpose of trafficking.

Panipakutsukisscheduled to appear in Nunavut Court of Justice on Jan. 5.