The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) made a significant discovery in August when they uncovered 196 kilograms of opium hidden within incoming shipments from the United Arab Emirates. According to a press release by CBSA on September 28, their officers and a detector dog found 150 kg of opium concealed inside a piece of steel machinery at a container examination facility in Burnaby, B.C., on August 15.
The shipment was selected for examination by the National Targeting Centre, a CBSA unit responsible for analyzing and assessing the risk of all passengers and goods entering Canada. Additionally, on August 28, border officers and a detector dog at the Tsawwassen Container Examination Facility seized another 46 kg of opium that was found inside a piece of furniture. Both shipments originated from the United Arab Emirates and have been handed over to the B.C. RCMP for further investigation.
Nina Patel, CBSA’s regional director general of the Pacific Region, expressed pride in the agency’s successful prevention of nearly 200 kg of opium from entering Canada. Patel emphasized the diligence and detection capabilities of CBSA’s border services officers and highlighted the vital role of their intelligence operations in keeping harmful drugs out of Canadian communities.
According to CBSA’s data, more than 14,500 seizures have been made at Canada’s border entry points in the first quarter of 2023. These seizures encompass various hard drugs, including over 3.7 million grams of cannabis, nearly 340,000 gm of cocaine, over 5,000 gm of heroin, and nearly 20 million gm of other narcotics and drugs.
In conclusion, the CBSA’s efforts to combat drug trafficking have yielded significant results, and their ongoing vigilance remains essential in ensuring the safety of Canadian communities.