A B.C. man arrested in a high-risk drug raid in Yellowknife over three years ago was handed a 26-month sentence in NWT Supreme Court Thursday.

Hassen Abdul Kerim Mohamed, 50, was convicted in September of possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and possessing marijuana.

In April 2015, members of Yellowknife SA国际影视传媒檚 emergency response team raided a Finlayson Drive townhouse using a battering ram and a grenade-like diversion device. Inside, they found Mohamed SA国际影视传媒� and heaps of fentanyl, cocaine and marijuana.

Mounties arrested Mohamed as he exited a bathroom. A cocaine-filled baggie was found between his legs.

William Castro, the homeowner and primary target of the drug raid, leaped through a second-floor window in a bid to evade police. Castro is currently serving a six-year prison sentence for selling cocaine, fentanyl and marijuana.

The raid netted 60 grams of cocaine, 19 grams of crack cocaine, 536 grams of marijuana and 90 fentanyl tablets.

Mohamed pleaded not guilty after being charged with possessing cocaine and fentanyl for the purpose of trafficking.

During trial in August, MohamedSA国际影视传媒檚 lawyer, Jennifer Cunningham, characterized her client as a SA国际影视传媒渇ound in,SA国际影视传媒� an unwitting house guest at CastroSA国际影视传媒檚 residence who had little to no knowledge of his roommateSA国际影视传媒檚 sophisticated drug enterprise.

Prosecutor Duane Praught, on the other hand, said Mohamed was much more involved in CastroSA国际影视传媒檚 operation, and that he ran drugs to and from the townhouse as a street-level dealer. In September, Justice Shannon Smallwood rejected CunninghamSA国际影视传媒檚 version of events and convicted Mohamed of possessing cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. But Smallwood wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that Mohamed possessed the fentanyl found in the house for the purpose of trafficking. He was acquitted of that charge.

Praught called for a three-year sentence. He said Mohamed was involved in the trafficking of cocaine to make money.

SA国际影视传媒淢r. Mohamed came to the North to sell drugs,SA国际影视传媒� he said in Supreme Court on Wednesday, noting the prevalence of out-of-town dealers setting up shop in the NorthSA国际影视传媒檚 profitable market.

Cunningham, on the other hand, said Mohamed was in SA国际影视传媒渢he throws of addictionSA国际影视传媒� at the time of his arrest, and that he was seriously addicted to opiates and other drugs, leaving him homeless at times.

Mohamed completed a 21-month residential treatment program following his arrest.

Calling for a nine-month sentence followed by probation, Cunningham asked Smallwood to consider the SA国际影视传媒渆xceptionalSA国际影视传媒� nature of the case, and cited recent NWT cases where addiction-addled traffickers were handed sentences in the range of seven to 10 months.

In handing down her decision on Thursday, Smallwood characterized Mohamed as a SA国际影视传媒渞elatively recentSA国际影视传媒� house guest at Castro's home at the time of his arrest but that he was involved in the operation to an extent SA国际影视传媒� he had knowledge and control of the cocaine found at in the home's bathroom and living room.

Smallwood considered Mohamed's addictions issues and his efforts to rehabilitate himself but said a stronger sentence than the one proposed by the defence was needed to send SA国际影视传媒渟trong condemnationSA国际影视传媒� to individuals selling and trafficking drugs in the North. She said the territory's lucrative market is attractive to would-be dealers who appear to not have received the message from the courts that setting up shop in the NWT won't be tolerated.

SA国际影视传媒淢aybe there's too much money and too much greed out there,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

With credit for remand custody, Mohamed has 23.5 months left to serve.