The case for a Saanich man facing drug smuggling charges will be heard in B.C.’s Supreme Court.
Saanich resident William Milton Barnes, 51, and Gary Horton of Washington State were charged in April 2018 after a six-month Canada-U.S. investigation that saw dozens of kilos of narcotics and weapons seized.
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Barnes was in Victoria Law Courts in November 2018 where his charges were pushed forward to the Supreme Court of B.C.
His court date is now set for Oct. 15.
Barnes is facing 11 charges including importing cocaine, possession for the purpose of trafficking cocaine, possession of trafficking methamphetamine, possession for the purpose of trafficking heroin, two counts of possession of a prohibited large capacity magazine and possession of proceeds of a crime.
Barnes was arrested in February 2017 after officials intercepted a shipment of narcotics coming by boat from the U.S. into the south coast of Vancouver Island.
When they searched his Saanich home, police discovered large quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine and heroin. They also seized 15 firearms, more than $150,000 in cash, a large capacity magazine and two high-speed boats.
