Saskatoon Police allege 3 accused dealers continued to sell bad cocaine as people died

Saskatoon Police say that three men accused of selling cocaine laced withfentanylcontinued to sell the lethal powder even after users contacted them to say it was tainted.

"There was contact between the dealers and the people who had purchased, and they illustrated that something is wrong with this cocaine, and deals were still made after that," Major Crimes investigatorVinceAshmeadesaid Friday.

Police provided more details about why the alleged traffickers are now charged with manslaughter. It's the first time in Saskatchewan that alleged drug traffickers have been charged in connection with the death of drug users.

• Three men who allegedly sold cocaine cut with fentanyl now charged with manslaughter

• Possible manslaughter charge for alleged drug dealers would hinge on knowledge drugs were tainted: lawyers

Azam Kabani, Shervin Beeharry and JapmanjotGrewal appeared in Saskatoon provincial court on Friday. They are now charged with manslaughter, criminal negligence causing death and criminal negligence causing bodily harm.

Ashmeade described the frantic weekend last year when it seemed overdose calls were coming in faster than police and paramedics could respond. Four people died and another three were hospitalized and survived.

Police were focused on stopping people from taking the drug, and tracking down the dealers, he said.

"Once investigators received information as to the location of where this dealer's cell phone was, two vehicle stops were conducted and Azam Kabani and Japmanjot Grewal were arrested," Ashmeade said.

That led to a residence on Pawlychenko Lane.

"Upon entry, Shervin Beeharrywas found attempting to flush cocaine, heroin and fentanyl, and was arrested."

Ashmeade said the 11-month investigation included analyzing drugs, interviewing witnesses and getting into seized cell phones.

"If we'd got all this information within two months, we'd have laid the charges then. It's just a matter of time, the time and speed of how the investigation flows," he said.

Charges unusual, but not unique

A Simon Fraser University criminology professor says the criminal negligence causing death charges are unusual, but not unique.

Neil Boyd suggested that, to be successful, the prosecution will have to establish a crucial distinction.

"It depends on the circumstances. If you've got people who are non-users of cocaine and are providing cocaine laced with fentanyl to people who are dependent users, obviously something like criminal negligence causing death would make sense," he said.

"On the other hand, and this is what's actually more common, distribution among people all of whom are drug dependent in various ways, it's unclear to me whether that's really a useful charge to pursue, criminal negligence causing death as a consequence of fentanyl contaminating the drug supply."