Accused drug dealer kept selling while out on bail, say RCMP

Winnipeg Free Press

2 days ago

MOHAMMAD Riyadul Hoque didn't keep to himself while on bail this year as he faced charges of drug trafficking and money laundering, justice officials allege in court filings.
Hoque, 32, was arrested by RCMP organized crime investigators in September 2023, after he was caught selling large quantities of crack cocaine and illicit opioid pills, including to undercover Mounties, then laundering millions of dollars in proceeds at casinos run by Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries.
In June, he pleaded guilty to trafficking fentanyl and laundering the proceeds of crime in relation to those offences and is expected to be sentenced to a 'substantial' term in federal prison in the fall.
SUPPLIED
Mohammad Riyadul Hoque
RCMP rearrested Hoque the following day on new charges of possessing fentanyl and cocaine for the purpose of trafficking and failing to comply with his release order.
A new civil forfeiture lawsuit filed in the Court of King's Bench Thursday reveals details about the second investigation into Hoque, who once claimed his fortune came from his wealthy parents as well as the fried chicken restaurant he co-owned.
As he waited to learn his fate for the 2023 charges, RCMP decided to tail him beginning in January to find out if he was following his court-ordered bail conditions, officials said in the court filing.
Mounties watched Hoque engage in what were believed to be 'quick hand-to-hand exchanges' at various locations, including at hotels, which he was ordered to stay away from while on bail.
'Between January and June 2025, police conducted physical surveillance on the defendant Hoque,' wrote Philip Siatecki, assistant director of criminal property forfeiture, in an affidavit.
'Police observed… Hoque consistently and repeatedly conducting drug trafficking transactions in the City of Winnipeg, including in hotel parking lots.'
The new lawsuit — Hoque's already facing civil forfeiture proceeding over cash seized in the first investigation — seeks to allow the province to retain a few thousand dollars in cash and a Kia Rondo vehicle seized in the recent investigation.
Officials allege Hoque was using the car to deal drugs.
The court papers include details of Hoque's arrest on June 24, a day after he admitted his guilt in a Winnipeg court.
Mounties were tailing Hoque as he left his home on Denson Place in the Minto neighbourhood and drove to Polo Park mall, the filing says.
After that, he drove to a pharmacy on Ellice Avenue and was inside for about 30 minutes.
When he left, he was carrying a clear plastic bag with a white substance in it, the court documents say. He was walking down Victor Street when the officers arrested him.
Tuesdays
A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world.
As officers approached, Hoque tossed two black packages, which the Mounties quickly found. The packages contained crack cocaine and opioid pills, the court filing says.
He told investigators he didn't know drugs were in the packages and had picked them up for a contact, RCMP said in a report filed in the lawsuit.
'Hoque would not admit to dealing any drugs,' RCMP wrote in the report.
The latest allegations against Hoque have yet to be heard in court.
[e-mail]
Erik PinderaReporter
Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020. Read more about Erik.
Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.