A man is dealing with more than burn injuries after an explosion recently blew off the front door of his sixth-floor condo in Toronto’s Liberty Village. The 36-year-old has been charged with drug possession for the purpose of trafficking. Specifically, police believe the defendant was operating a meth lab in the residence.
The man was reportedly inside the condo when the blast occurred, and he was able to leave the home and transport himself to hospital to be treated for minor burns. After that, he was arrested. Initially, the explosion was thought to be due to natural gas, but police became suspicious after noticing explosive chemicals, one of which was reportedly acetone. The defendant, who appeared in court on Nov. 18, is expected to face additional charges.
CTV News has more details on the explosion.
Being convicted of drug possession can have serious consequences, but the potential penalties increase significantly when a person is charged with drug trafficking or manufacturing. In reality, a person doesn’t even have to sell a drug to be charged with trafficking. If there is evidence of a large quantity of meth or some other illegal substance, then a trafficking charge could be laid.
These days, with more emphasis on the dangers of meth, prosecutors are under increased pressure to seek harsh penalties for individuals accused of meth production. Those penalties could include imprisonment, fines and other negative consequences. To protect their rights and future, individuals accused of drug-related offences should speak with an attorney as soon as possible about mounting an effective criminal defence.
Source: canoe.ca, “Secret meth lab caused Toronto condo blast, police say,” Terry Davidson, Nov. 9, 2014
