CBSA seizes record 2,500 kg of opium from shipping pallets in Vancouver

The Canada Border Services Agency has made a historic drug bust in Vancouver.

Nearly 2,500 kilograms of opium have been seized from 247 shipping pallets, marking the largest drug bust of its kind by the CBSA.

On Friday, the agency revealed the results of a joint investigation it launched in September with the RCMP’s Federal Serious and Organized Crime unit.

The purpose of the probe was to look “into a potential significant importation of controlled substances concealed inside marine containers,” according to the CBSA release.

On Oct. 25, officers with the CBSA’s Metro Vancouver Marine Operations unit examined 19 marine containers.

“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,” reads the CBSA release. “Further physical examination confirmed approximately 2,486 kilograms of opium within 247 shipping pallets.”

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration defines opium as “a highly addictive non-synthetic narcotic that is extracted from the poppy plant,” and “the key source for many narcotics, including morphine, codeine, and heroin.”

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino is applauding CBSA’s record opium seizure.

“The safety and security of our communities is our top priority. Our work begins at the borders, stopping illicit drugs from coming into Canada and disrupting criminal activity,” Mendocino said.