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durhamregion.com This Week | Thursday, April 14, 2022 | 10 A man described as the "right hand man" of the kingpin in a trafficking organization that sold drugs including the dangerous opioid fentanyl has been sentenced to nine and a half years in prison. Thanh Hai Lu played a key role in a drug operation headed by Dat Tien Doan of Whitby, and was well aware that he was trafficking dangerous substances, Superior Court judge Joseph Di Luca said in a ruling March 28. "Not only did Mr. Lu traffic in, and possess for the purpose of trafficking, large quantities of cocaine, he also trafficked in very significant quantities of fentanyl and fentanyl/heroin," Di Luca said. "Mr. Lu was involved in a large-scale commercial undertaking trafficking in significant quantities of serious drugs." Lu was found guilty of several drug offences after a trial by judge alone. He was among a number of suspects, including Doan, who were caught up in a police investigation that led to the seizure of a large haul of drugs in 2019. Project Kamloops, a joint effort involving Durham police, RCMP and other municipal police, resulted in the arrests of nine suspects and the seizure of large quantities of cocaine, fentanyl and MDMA, as well as $875,000 in cash, according to reports at the time. In pronouncing sentence, Di Luca said Lu presents something of a conundrum -- although he's guilty of serious drug crimes, he's been an otherwise productive citizen who prior to this trial had no criminal record, the judge said. "On the one hand, he is a commercial level drug trafficker," Di Luca noted. "On the other hand, apart from his drug dealing activities, Mr. Lu is an otherwise productive member of society with very strong family and peer supports. He has skill sets that could readily be used to honestly and legally provide for himself and his family." Lu, 37, appears to have been lured into drug trafficking by expectations of "easy money," the judge said. "Despite all he has going for him, Mr. Lu chose to involve himself in an incredibly dangerous and illegal enterprise that could have killed many people. He did so for no purpose other than the allure of easy money," Di Luca commented. "The consequences of his decision will alter the trajectory of his life." During submissions on sentencing the Crown had sought a penitentiary term of 8 to 12 years. Defence counsel Gregory Lafontaine recommended three or four years, describing Lu as a minor player in a drug trafficking network. Lafontaine insisted it had not been proven with certainty Lu knew he was selling fentanyl, a dangerous and addictive opioid. Di Luca agreed Lu was part of a larger enterprise and that his role consisted largely of delivering drugs to buyers. But he also found Lu was a "trusted associate" of Doan, playing a key role in the trafficking operation. "I do not accept that Mr. Lu's role was simply as a mere courier or delivery person," the judge concluded. "Ultimately, while Mr. Doan appears to have been the main person in charge, Mr. Lu was his right hand man." Di Luca also concluded Lu was aware of the fact he was selling fentanyl. The judge sentenced Lu to nine and a half years, giving him enhanced credit for time spent in pretrial custody. That credit leaves Lu a term of 8 years and 11 months to serve. Doan was sentenced to five years less a day in prison after pleading guilty in a separate hearing in 2021. During sentencing a judge noted he'd been in jail throughout the pandemic, enduring lockdowns and at one point also contracting the virus. 'RIGHT HAND MAN' IN TRAFFICKING SCHEME GETS 9 YEARS JEFF MITCHELL jmitchell@ durhamregion.com NEWS A judge in Durham Region has sentenced a man to nine and a half years in prison for his role in a major drug trafficking operation. Sabrina Byrnes/Metroland Durham's Catholic school board is conducting its first student census this spring and will be gathering identity data on topics like race, religion and sexual orientation. The survey for students in Grades 4 to 12 takes place from April 25 to 29. Parents and students are able to preview the census questions in advance. Examples include: "What is your gender identity?" "What is the first language you learned to speak as a child?" and "What is your religion and/or spiritual affiliation?" Ontario school boards are required to gather and report identity-based data by 2023. "We need this data," says Margaret Brimpong, senior manager of equity, anti-racism and engagement for the Durham Catholic District School Board. "This data is so vital in moving us forward so that teachers are better able to respond to students in the classroom." The DCDSB census is voluntary and confidential and each question will have a "prefer not to answer" option. Students in Grades 4 to 8 will answer the census with their parents or guardians, while students in Grades 9 to 12 will complete the census at school. "The census will help us to identify groups of students being underserved so that we can develop programs, strategies, policies and procedures, allocate resources and supports and revise teaching practices to ensure every student success ..." the DCDSB notes. Some boards in Durham are further ahead in the process. The Durham District School Board did its first student census in April 2019 and has used the information to identify groups of students with disproportionate academic outcomes -- and take action to close the gaps. For example, the DDSB recently hired its first graduation coach for Black students after census data revealed Black high school students had lower four-year graduation rates. The Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board undertook its first student census in 2018 and the Peterborough Victoria Northumberland Clarington Catholic District School Board launched its first student census in fall 2021. DURHAM CATHOLIC'S FIRST STUDENT CENSUS IS IN APRIL JILLIAN FOLLERT CENSUS WILL GATHER IDENTITY DATA ON THINGS LIKE RACE, RELIGION, GENDER IDENTITY, INDIGENOUS IDENTITY