California couple charged with smuggling drugs across Coutts border takes stand at trial

The Crown has concluded calling its evidence in the trial for California couple Gurminder Toor and Kirandeep Toor.

The pair were charged in December 2017 after nearly 100 kilograms of suspected cocaine was found during an inspection of a commercial truck at the Coutts Border Crossing.

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Kirandeep Toor took the stand in her own defense Thursday afternoon.

She explained to the jury she and her husband, the co-accused, were married in 2015 through an arranged marriage and she had only known him two weeks before their union.

Court heard the truck searched was registered and insured in her name, as was the business they were operating under, called GTL.

During questioning by her lawyer, she stated she did not know the drugs were in the truck.

She testified the couple had stopped for two hours in Great Falls Montana prior to crossing the border for fuel, food and to shower.

However, during cross examination, the Crown showed her log books from the trip, indicating the break was logged as only 15 minutes, and a receipt found in the truck only indicated they purchased fuel.

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Gurminder Toor also took the stand in his defense.

He testified a dispatcher from a separate company lined up his deliveries for him, and had arranged his load from California to Canada.

His dispatcher had asked him to keep him updated on his location and stops along the way, he said.

He testified that while stopped in Great Falls for fuel and to shower, he left his vehicle running and keys in the truck while he and his wife were inside.

He said when he stopped at the border, he didn’t know there were drugs in the truck and that the drugs were not his.

The Crown is set to cross examine Gurminder Toor on Friday.