Richmond Bc Lawyers

Chinese fugitive's lawyer disputes police claims

The lawyer for one of China's most wanted fugitives tried to discredit police testimony against his client during an immigration detention hearing on Tuesday.

Lai Changxing is in detention while fighting deportation to China, where officials accuse him of being at the top of a huge smuggling ring that cheated the government there out of millions of dollars in taxes. He fled to Canada in 1999 and has been fighting his deportation for 12 years.

On Monday, the detention hearing heard from Det. James Fisher with the Vancouver Police Department's special investigations unit.

Fisher testified a source told him Lai was involved in loan-sharking, was on friendly terms with members of an Asian crime gang and ran an illegal gaming operation out of a Richmond, B.C., home.

But on Tuesday, Fisher admitted during questioning from Lai's lawyer that the source didn't provide hard evidence to prove the allegations.

"If we were in a court of law trying Mr. Lai for gaming that might be a concern, but we're not doing that," Fisher said. "I wasn't able to get that portion from the informant but doesn't lessen the important of what he told us, which was who [Lai] was associating with and what his criminal intention was."

Lai is seeking release from custody ahead of a federal court hearing on Thursday, when his lawyers will ask for a stay of his deportation.

They will argue that Lai faces possible torture or even execution at the hands of China's Communist regime.

But Kevin Boothroyd, who represents the Canada Border Services Agency, said Lai's links to organized crime in Canada make him a serious flight risk, and he should be detained.

Boothroyd said Tuesday that evidence presented at Lai's hearing shows he not only had close contact with criminals, he was doing business with them.

Boothroyd said those connections could help Lai escape.

"Lai is in close contact with people who can facilitate his flight," Boothroyd said.

Final submissions in the case are scheduled to continue on Wednesday.

Vancouver and Richmond BC Cantonese Speaking Family Law and ...

, 温哥华和说离婚和家庭律师的里士满广东人 To our medium to high net worth family law and divorce litigation team to better serve our Cantonese speaking clientele with sensitive and discrete resolutions for their family members upon divorce or marriage breakdown. We bring tenacity and creative solutions to resolving financial and custody matters taking into account cultural factors including contributions from parents and extended family members. We are also adept at preparation of marriage agreements and prenuptial agreements to ensure disparate contributions or gifts or inheritances from one side or the other are fairly protected.

Jennifer Lin graduated from the University of Victoria Law School in 2010.

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