A Penticton man who a judge said was riding around town "with a virtual drug store," will be spending the next three years in jail.
The court heard that Grant McEwen had six prior possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking. Judge Ellen Burdett said the 44-year-old man has had his chances to rehabilitate during stints in federal prison, yet has not got the message.
"This is a last resort. Everything tried hasn't worked and Mr. McEwen you are at that place," said Burdett. "There is a huge drug trafficking problem here (Penticton) ... Deterring you from future offences only can be accomplished by such a large sentence. This time Mr. McEwen get all the help you can."
McEwen was arrested by members of Penticton's RCMP Drug Task Force on July 8, just months after he had been released from jail from a different drug offence. At the time of his arrest police found him in the possession of morphine, cocaine, valium and ritalin pills. The drugs were found tucked in a cigarette package under the seat of his bicycle. Police had been looking for McEwen in relation to another trafficking investigation when they received information that he was dealing cocaine.