Last of more than 2 dozen busted in Yellowknife Green Manalishi investigation sentenced

The last person convicted as a result of a sweeping investigation of Yellowknife's bustling cocaine trade was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail on Wednesday.

Luqman Hussein was among 28 people charged as a result of the RCMP's Green Manalishi investigation more than three years ago. He was the 27th person convicted and sentenced. Only one of the people charged — an elderly woman from Ndilo — was acquitted.

Named after a Fleetwood Mac song about the evils of money, the investigation relied largely on wiretap warrants the police obtained to listen in on the conversations of key players in two rival cocaine trafficking rings operating in the city at that time.

Hussein pleaded guilty to trafficking cocaine. During his sentencing hearing, prosecutor Dwane Praught said Hussein, now 24 years old, was selling two ounces of cocaine a week himself. "We're looking at thousands of dollars of profit each week — not revenue, profit," said Praught.

'Run like a business'

The prosecutor said the drug ring Hussein was working for paid $2,300 for an ounce of cocaine, then cut it up into 55 so-called street grams. Hussein and others worked 12-hour shifts fielding calls from Yellowknifers looking for crack and powdered cocaine, selling them street grams for $80 to $100 apiece.

"It was run like a business," said Praught. "This was a full-time job for Mr. Hussein." Praught said Hussein was motivated by greed, and that there was no indication he was selling to support any drug habit he had.

This was a full-time job for Mr. Hussein.- Crown prosecutor Dwane Praught

According to a statement of agreed facts, Hussein was let out on bail shortly after his arrest. But within two months the person who agreed to take responsibility for him obeying the conditions he was under, withdrew his support. Hussein missed his next court appearance and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He remained on the loose until this past December, when he turned himself into police at the Yellowknife RCMP detachment.

Hussein is of Somali ancestry, but he was conceived in a refugee camp in Kenya, his lawyer told the judge. Peter Harte said his client had studied at university for a year, but stopped after some interaction with law enforcement in Ontario, though the interaction did not result in any convictions. He came to Yellowknife after living on the streets for years, said Harte.

With credit for the time he's served in jail awaiting sentencing, Hussein has 21 months left on his sentence.