On November 30, 2023, 63 year old Drago Knezevic, an inmate from Collins Bay Institution, died while in custody of natural causes, according to a media statement from Correctional Services Canada.
Mr Knezevic had been diagnosed with several medical conditions, including a congenital heart condition, kidney disease and diabetes.
At the time of his death, he had been serving a sentence of 9 years, 11 months, and 13 days for possession of schedule I/II substances for the purpose of trafficking and import/export of schedule I/II substances.
In 2011 he attempted to smuggle 39 kilograms of cocaine across the Ambassador Bridge.
Knezevic was a long haul truck driver and the drugs were hidden in a shipment of raspberries, but were discovered by Canada Border Service Agency at a secondary inspection.
He would be found not guilty by Justice Thomas Carey in 2015, but the crown appealed the verdict and in 2016 a new trial was ordered by the Court of Appeal.
At his second trial, Knezevic would be found guilty, even though Justice Bondy pointed out the RCMP conducted a “less than desirable investigation” and left the court unable to determine if Knezevic was anything more than a courier.
A media statement released by Correctional Services Canada said that his next of kin had been notified and it was their policy to also notify the police and coroner.