A 27-year-old man who was stopped by police while driving along Autoroute 13 last week because he was not wearing his seat belt ended up being arrested when more than $1 million worth of street drugs were found in his rented Toyota Camry.
The driver, identified as Brandon Iannelli, was stopped by an officer in an SQ patrol car who had set out initially to give him a ticket for not wearing the seat belt.
However, things took a turn for the worse when Iannelli identified himself to the officer, using the name of his brother, because his driver’s license had been suspended.
After doing a radio check, the SQ officer began to suspect something wasn’t right, and so called for backup so that Iannelli could be safely arrested as an identity theft suspect.
A short time later, as Iannelli’s vehicle was being searched, SQ officers uncovered a large stash of dope, consisting of 200,000 tablets of methamphetamine, a kilo of crack and 200 grams of contraband cannabis.
As well, they found more than $13,000 in cash, and a set of brass knuckles, which are classified as a prohibited weapon in Canada with possession being a criminal offence.
The $1 million-plus estimated value of the seized drugs is based on a value of $5 per tablet for the methamphetamines, while a kilo of crack is worth approximately $15,000 on the street.
Iannelli was arraigned in court last week through a video link-up to the Palais de Justice in Laval. He faces charges of identify theft, trafficking in narcotics, possession of property obtained by criminal means, and possession of a prohibited weapon.
He was expected back in court for a preliminary inquiry and a bail hearing. According to the Journal de Montréal, this was not Brandon Iannelli’s first encounter with the law.
The Montreal daily says he has previously been charged with identity theft, interfering with police, drug possession and breaking court-imposed bail conditions.
The Francophone tabloid also maintains he is well-known to law enforcement officials as a drug dealer who has links to organized crime.
Recent Laval Fire Dept. calls:
9:50 PM · Mar 4
Major accident on Autoroute 19 in Laval’s Auteuil sector. The A-19 was closed between Saint-Saëns St. East and Dagenais Blvd. East, South and North. Emergency services were called in.
Some recent LFD staff promotions:
Promotion to the post of investigative inspector in the LFD’s Prevention Division. The Association des pompiers de Laval recently congratulated Fanny Pelletier who has been promoted to this post as of March 7.
Promotion to the rank of Lieutenant-inspector in the LFD’s Prevention Division. The Association des pompiers de Laval also recently congratulated Charles Gauthier who has been promoted to this post as of March 7. The Laval News joins the APL in congratulating these two employees following their promotions.
