Law360 Canada ( July 31, 2018, 8:38 AM EDT) -- Appeal by Lecompte from his conviction for trafficking in marijuana and possession of proceeds of crime over $5,000. In 2014, after receiving information from a confidential source, the RCMP intercepted a vehicle driven by the appellant. Chiasson, the appellant’s co-accused, was a passenger in the vehicle. The vehicle and both individuals were searched incidental to their arrests. Officers found three grams of marijuana, a cell phone and $1,200 on Chiasson’s person. Nothing was found on the appellant. From the vehicle, the officers found $17,980 in the glovebox, packaged in $1,000 bundles, a cell phone, a vehicle rental agreement in the appellant’s name, and the appellant’s briefcase containing marijuana culture magazines. During the trial, an RCMP officer was qualified as an expert witness and allowed to give his opinion on the sale of marijuana. The period from when the Information was filed and the end of trial was 22 and a half months. The trial judge applied the transitional exceptional circumstance to justify the delay and found the appellant’s right to trial within a reasonable time had not been infringed. He found all of the evidence was consistent with the sale of marijuana by runners....