TSAWWASSEN, BC, Sept. 17,
2024 /CNW/ - The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
is committed to protecting our communities from the harm caused by
organized crime and preventing illicit drugs from crossing our
borders.
Today, the CBSA announced the seizure of 1,278 litres of liquid
methamphetamine in British
Columbia bound for export to Australia. This seizure represents
approximately 4 million individual doses with an estimated street
value of $2 million.
On June 27, 2024, CBSA Border
Services Officers from the Metro Vancouver District, with the
support of the Detector Dog Service, examined a container destined
for export through the Fraser Surrey Docks. During the exam,
officers found anomalies in the packaging of the bottles labelled
as apple and grape juice. Upon further examination, officers
discovered 1,320 bottles filled with methamphetamine.
This significant seizure can be attributed to the collaboration
of multiple CBSA units, including teams in the Metro Vancouver
District Marine Operations, the Tsawwassen Container
Examination Facility and Pacific Region Intelligence Section, along
with the collaboration and contributions from our domestic and
international law enforcement partners.
The investigation of these seizures was referred to the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Ontario, who worked with the Australian
Federal Police and the Australian Border Force. As a result of the
collaboration between our agencies, three individuals in
Australia were charged in relation
to this seizure.
Quotes
"The safety and security of Canadians is our top priority. I
want to thank the CBSA, the RCMP and our Australian law enforcement
partners for their excellent work in disrupting organized crime and
protecting our communities from dangerous drugs."
– The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety,
Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs
"Our agency is combatting the smuggling of illegal drugs at our
border and disrupting transnational criminal networks. These
seizures demonstrate the diligence and detection capabilities of
our border services officers and the important role of our
intelligence operations in intercepting illegal and harmful
substances."
– Nina Patel, Regional
Director General, Pacific Region, Canada Border Services
Agency
"This is another example of working closely with our
international partners and maintaining strong relationships with
law enforcement agencies around the world. Transnational crime has
no borders, as we live in an increasingly global and interconnected
world. The RCMP looks beyond the Canadian borders and works closely
with its international partners to disrupt international drug
trafficking networks."
– Chief Superintendent. Stephen Lee, Deputy Regional Commander – RCMP
Federal Policing Program - Pacific Region
"Through this operation the AFP, working with our partners
in Canada, has prevented a large
amount of this illicit drug from reaching our communities and
causing harm, and put a sizeable dent in the wallets of organised
crime. I'd like to thank our partners in Canada for their invaluable assistance with
this investigation."
- Acting Commander
Adrian Telfer, Australian Federal
Police
Quick facts
- For the latest contraband statistics, visit Canada Border
Services Agency seizures.
- The CBSA's Intelligence Section plays a key role in the
identification of border-related risks and in protecting the safety
and security of Canadians. Intelligence activities are conducted to
identify, investigate and prosecute individuals and entities that
are of interest to the CBSA in connection to organized crime, drug
smuggling and other violations of the Customs Act and the
Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
- If you have information about suspicious cross-border activity,
please contact the CBSA Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060.
- Anyone with information regarding criminal activity is
encouraged to contact their local police, the RCMP at
1-800-387-0020 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS
- A list of restricted and prohibited goods, including prohibited
weapons, can be found here.
- Smuggling narcotics and other Customs Act contraventions
may lead to prosecution in a court of law. For foreign nationals
this may mean removal from Canada
and a ban on returning to Canada.
Twitter @CanBorderPAC.
SOURCE Canada Border Services Agency