Almost 150 kilograms of methamphetamines were seized by border agents from travellers leaving Vancouver International Airport in January and February.
The meth, with a street value estimated at $500,000, was destined for Hong Kong, Australia and New Zealand, according to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).
On Jan. 18, border services agents intercepted 35.7 kilograms wrapped in gift wrap and hidden in two suitcases, headed to Hong Kong.
Just a week and a half later, on Jan. 31, another 28.5 kilograms was seized. The meth was concealed in coffee bags and hidden in two suitcases and was headed to Hong Kong.
On Feb. 16, CBSA agents found another 23.5 kilograms of meth destined for Australia. This batch was wrapped in towels soaked with vinegar and cayenne pepper. CBSA said this was an attempt to mask the smell of the drugs.
Three seizures of meth took place on Feb. 19, two destined for Australia and one for New Zealand. The two seizures headed to Australia were of 16.4 kilograms and 19.2 kilograms and were found among articles of clothing.
The meth headed to New Zealand was 25.5 kilograms and was hidden in vacuum-sealed packages with a mixture of coffee and pepper.
In all six instances, the travellers were arrested and taken into custody by the RCMP’s Federal Police Pacific Region unit.
The Government of Canada has recently invested $1.3 billion to bolster border security.
“Our border services officers are combating illegal drug smuggling and disrupting domestic and international crime networks,” said Nina Patel, CBSA regional director general for the Pacific region. “These seizures demonstrate the CBSA’s detection and intelligence capabilities and the important role our officers play to keep our communities safe.”
📣 Got an opinion on this story or any others in Richmond? Send us a letter or email your thoughts or story tips to [email protected].
📲 To stay updated on Richmond news, sign up for our daily headline newsletter.
💬 Words missing in article? Your adblocker might be preventing hyperlinked text from appearing.
