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Former employee of Passport Canada - Scarborough Office sentenced for Dealing with Blank Canadian Passports and Breach of Trust
(April 18th 2005 - Toronto, Ontario) Toula BLANAS, age 27, a former employee of Passport Canada was sentenced on April 15th for her role in the theft of 246 blank Canadian Passports from the Scarborough office of Passport Canada. She appeared before Madame Justice CHAPNIK in Ontario Court at 361 University Avenue, Toronto, and was sentenced to 5 ½ years on the charge of Dealing With Blank Canadian Passports and an additional 2 years to be served concurrently on the charge of Breach of Trust.
Ms. BLANAS was taken into custody immediately upon sentencing.
Background:
In June 2002 in Toronto, Ontario, Passport Canada contacted the RCMP Greater Toronto Area Immigration and Passport Unit at Toronto East to report that blank Canadian Passports had gone missing. An investigation into the disappearance identified that the passports had been stolen and were being offered for sale on the streets of Toronto. On November 8th, 2002 the RCMP arrested three subjects and recovered 186 of the passports along with a loaded handgun. Two of the subjects arrested at that time were subsequently convicted and sentenced for their involvement. Allen Richard GRAHAM, age 34, and Corey CROSBY, age 33, were sentenced to two and three years respectively.
On November 21st, 2002 Toula BLANAS was charged with Breach of Trust, Section 122 of the Criminal Code of Canada, Theft Over $5000.00, Section 334 of the Criminal Code of Canada and Dealing with Blank Canadian Passports, Sect 122(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
To date 205 of the 246 missing passports have been recovered. Working with partners both domestically and internationally, efforts are continuing with a view to recovering the remaining passports.
(April 18th 2005 - Toronto, Ontario) Toula BLANAS, age 27, a former employee of Passport Canada was sentenced on April 15th for her role in the theft of 246 blank Canadian Passports from the Scarborough office of Passport Canada. She appeared before Madame Justice CHAPNIK in Ontario Court at 361 University Avenue, Toronto, and was sentenced to 5 ½ years on the charge of Dealing With Blank Canadian Passports and an additional 2 years to be served concurrently on the charge of Breach of Trust.
Ms. BLANAS was taken into custody immediately upon sentencing.
Background:
In June 2002 in Toronto, Ontario, Passport Canada contacted the RCMP Greater Toronto Area Immigration and Passport Unit at Toronto East to report that blank Canadian Passports had gone missing. An investigation into the disappearance identified that the passports had been stolen and were being offered for sale on the streets of Toronto. On November 8th, 2002 the RCMP arrested three subjects and recovered 186 of the passports along with a loaded handgun. Two of the subjects arrested at that time were subsequently convicted and sentenced for their involvement. Allen Richard GRAHAM, age 34, and Corey CROSBY, age 33, were sentenced to two and three years respectively.
On November 21st, 2002 Toula BLANAS was charged with Breach of Trust, Section 122 of the Criminal Code of Canada, Theft Over $5000.00, Section 334 of the Criminal Code of Canada and Dealing with Blank Canadian Passports, Sect 122(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
To date 205 of the 246 missing passports have been recovered. Working with partners both domestically and internationally, efforts are continuing with a view to recovering the remaining passports.
