The trial for two men busted in 2009 near Lake Louise with almost $1 million in magic mushrooms began last week.
Scott Gowing and Shawn Lutz were stopped on Oct. 22, 2009 by members of Alberta’s Roving Traffic Unit near the hamlet of Lake Louise.
Their vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado, was stopped by RCMP for an equipment violation. However, as a result of the investigation and use of an drug dog, 68 kilograms of psilocybin or magic mushrooms were seized.
That amount of the drug, considered one of the biggest seizures in the history of the drug section, has a street value of up to $1 million.
Both Gowing and Lutz were charged with trafficking and possession for the purpose of trafficking. Their trial began Thursday (Feb. 10) in Banff Provincial Court.
However, because defence counsel for the accused, Peter Hoare and Eleanor Funk, are putting forward a challenge to the detainment and search of the vehicle based on the Charter of Rights and Freedoms the trial began in a voir dire.
The voir dire functions as a trial within a trial and until Judge Judy Shriar makes a determination, the Outlook cannot report on testimony given in court.
