Nova Scotia·NewA Toronto man who was arrested for theft and possession of stolen property after being found aboard a boat in the Atlantic Ocean last month is facing a raft of additional charges, including theft and weapons offences, related to alleged incidents in Western Canada.Suspect has outstanding arrest warrants for theft and weapons offences in Alberta and B.C.Tom Ayers · CBC News · Posted: Oct 09, 2025 7:38 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hour agoRCMP are continuing to investigate after a man with outstanding warrants in Alberta and B.C. was found in a boat off Nova Scotia near Sable Island. (CBC)A Toronto man who was arrested for theft and possession of stolen property while adrift in the Atlantic Ocean last month is facing a raft of additional charges, including theft and weapons offences, related to alleged incidents in Western Canada.Mohammad Saleh, 31, was initially charged with two counts each of vehicle theft and possessing stolen property after a truck stolen in Alberta was found at the marina in the small Cape Breton community of D’Escousse, N.S., where RCMP say a cabin cruiser was taken from the dock.Several days later, federal fisheries officers doing an aerial survey spotted the boat drifting near the French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon near Newfoundland.Two days after that, on Sept. 30, the Mounties, DFO, military and coast guard caught up with the boat near Sable Island.Crown attorney Keavin Gallant Finnerty said the case is unusual.”The allegations are unique in many ways, especially when you look at the joint investigation that took place with the RCMP, Canadian Coast Guard and the allegations that deal with someone being found 400 kilometres or so offshore.”Crown attorneys Keavin Gallant Finnerty, left, and Jeffrey Columbus are jointly prosecuting the case against Mohammad Saleh of Toronto. (Tom Ayers/CBC)Saleh, heavy-set and bald with a big black beard and moustache, appeared in Port Hawkesbury provincial court on Thursday wearing a green and tan camouflage jacket and dark pants.He’s now facing a total of 17 charges related to theft in Nova Scotia, outstanding warrants for vehicle theft and weapons offences in Alberta and British Columbia, as well as charges for being at large and breaching release conditions.Gallant Finnerty said the case is still under investigation and it is too soon to say why Saleh ended up in a boat off the East Coast.The Crown attorney also couldn’t provide any other details.Still under investigation”That information is still under investigation with the police,” he said.”We do have some idea … but given that Mr. Saleh is innocent until proven guilty before the charges, we as the Crown are limited in what we can discuss at this time.”Crown attorney Jeffrey Columbus said RCMP out west have said they do not intend to execute the outstanding warrants now.”He’s here for the time being at least, unless something changes in another jurisdiction.”Crowns oppose bailSaleh’s defence lawyer declined to comment.Saleh remains in custody and is due back in court next Tuesday.Crown prosecutors say he may seek bail at that time, but they are opposed to his release and police are still investigating.”Given the complexity of this, it’s unclear at this point if both Crown and defence would be in a position to run a bail hearing on Tuesday,” Columbus said.MORE TOP STORIESABOUT THE AUTHORTom Ayers has been a reporter and editor for 39 years. He has spent the last 21 covering Cape Breton and Nova Scotia stories. You can reach him at tom.ayers@cbc.ca.
Man found adrift in stolen boat faces additional charges
