Man arrested in drug case out on bail

Saanich police found $1 million in backyard

A man arrested after police found more than $1 million stuffed in concrete blocks in the backyard of his Saanich home has been released on $50,000 bail.

Alexander Djafar-Zade must make a cash deposit of $25,000 and abide by numerous conditions, Victoria provincial court Judge Carmen Rogers said Friday as she ordered his release from custody.

Djafar-Zade, 49, is charged with possessing cocaine, GHB and MDMA for the purpose of trafficking. The alleged offences took place on May 25, 2016, in Saanich.

He is also charged with having $1,144,545 in his possession, knowing that all or part of the proceeds had been obtained from the commission of an offence.

The conditions of DjafarZade’s release include that he remain in B.C. and not change his address without the permission of his bail supervisor. He must obey a curfew of 8 p.m.7 a.m. each day and allow a member of the Saanich police to enter his home any day between 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. to determine whether he is in possession of any drugs, hydraulic presses, money counters or digital scales.

Djafar-Zade is prohibited from possessing any controlled substances, pipes, syringes or other drug paraphernalia, hydraulic presses, money counters or digital scales. He is not allowed to own more than one cellphone or possess any other type of portable communication device. If requested, he must provide his bail supervisor with detailed billing records of his cellphone. He is also not to possess any firearms, ammunition or other weapons.

His next court appearance is scheduled for March 9.