U.S. man tried to float illegal drugs to Canada in duffel bags he bought in Walmart

Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Kitchen & Dining Tech Style & Beauty Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Amazon Prime Day Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomeNewsCanadaU.S. man tried to float illegal drugs to Canada in duffel bags he bought in WalmartJohn Michael Sherwood has been sentenced for his failed attempt to transport hundred of kilos of drugs across the Strait of Juan de Fuca You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.The U.S. Department of Justice is seen on June 20, 2023 in Washington, D.C. Photo by Kevin Dietsch /Getty ImagesA 69-year-old man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for trying to float hundreds of kilograms of methamphetamine from Washington state to Canada via the Strait of Juan de Fuca.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERSEnjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.SUBSCRIBE FOR MORE ARTICLESEnjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountJohn Michael Sherwood, a former resident of Rhode Island, Texas, and Chicago, was sentenced on Friday in a Seattle court for three federal felonies connected to his 2021 scheme to smuggle duffel bags full of drugs across the strait.The scheme was uncovered after a family came across one of the bags on a Washington beach in April, 2021. The family alerted law enforcement, who found more than 20 kilograms of methamphetamine inside the bag, as well as a kilogram of fentanyl powder, according to a U.S. Department of Justice news release.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againAround a similar time, a different beachcomber discovered a partially submerged and deflated raft, and noted a U-Haul van coming and going from the area. Just days later, another beachgoer found seven more duffel bags stashed under a bridge near the beach containing 114 kilograms of methamphetamine. The estimated wholesale value of the drugs in Canada was about $1.5 million.The FBI traced the purchases of the bags to Walmart, where Sherwood was captured on surveillance making the purchases with his debit card. U-Haul rental records, motel registration, and storage locker records also linked Sherwood to the smuggling attempt, while phone records revealed his communication with a coconspirator in Canada.“The eight large duffel bags of methamphetamine found on the beach near Port Angeles are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to this defendant’s drug smuggling,” said first assistant U.S. attorney Neil Floyd in the DoJ news release. “Evidence uncovered in the case show he made multiple drug runs to the Washington/British Columbia border to connect with his coconspirator in Canada. Over five decades he racked up five federal felonies. This 15-year sentence is the result of his persistent and entrenched criminal behaviour.”At the trial, it was revealed that Sherwood had taken approximately 130 kilograms of methamphetamine and close to a kilogram of fentanyl powder to the Olympic Peninsula from southern California, and was attempting to use a jet ski and inflatable raft to get the drugs across the Strait of Juan de Fuca to his contact on Vancouver Island. Sherwood brought approximately 130 kilograms of methamphetamine and close to a kilogram of fentanyl powder from California to Washington state. United States Attorney's Office, Western District of Washington“A family’s shocking discovery of drugs at the beach exemplified the brazenness of Mr. Sherwood’s multiple plans to smuggle huge quantities of drugs into Canada, part of a career of criminality spanning state lines, international borders, and several decades,” said W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI Seattle field office, in the news release.At the sentencing hearing, Judge Richard A. Jones described Sherwood as “a mad man desperate for money.” He added: “What you were doing would cause tremendous harm to thousands of individuals.”And describing the role Sherwood and his coconspirators played in the drug trade, assistant U.S. attorney Vince Lombardi said in closing arguments: “They are the FedEx or the UPS of the drug trafficking crew.”This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.Sherwood was convicted in April 2026, following a six-day trial of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute and conspiracy to commit international money laundering.Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. 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