Canada police make biggest-ever haul of 2,500 kg of opium in Vancouver
Jupinderjeet Singh
Chandigarh, December 17
The Canada police have made the biggest-ever seizure of 2,500 kg of opium in Vancouver, the earlier record being of 1,000 kg recovered in March 2021, a police news release said.
The estimated value of the fresh seizure is US$ 25 million. The drug was found in a ship that docked in October and was being searched by the police. Such a huge quantity of opium is usually used for refining it into heroin or other drugs.
The news release, issued on December 16, said, “The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is committed to keeping Canadian communities safe from illicit drugs. Today, the CBSA announced the significant seizure of nearly 2,500 kg of opium in Vancouver, British Columbia, which is the largest opium seizure to date for the CBSA.”
In September 2022, the CBSA Intelligence Sections and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Federal Serious and Organized Crime (FSOC) unit initiated an investigation into a potential significant importation of controlled substances concealed inside marine containers.
On October 25, 2022, the CBSA’s Metro Vancouver Marine Operations conducted an examination of goods within 19 marine containers based on this investigation. Using a wide range of detection tools and technology, including X-ray technology, officers discovered irregularities in the shipping pallets as part of a deep concealment method.
Further physical examination confirmed approximately 2,486 kh of opium within 247 shipping pallets. The drugs seized were turned over to the RCMP FSOC unit for further criminal investigation.
