Border services officers in Delta recently intercepted hundreds of kilograms of suspected illicit cannabis bound for export in two separate incidents.
According to a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) press release, the first seizure was made on May 26 by officers examining a marine container set for export. With the assistance of a CBSA detector dog and using a wide range of detection tools and technology, officers discovered 1,036 vacuum-sealed bags and seized a total of 592 kilograms of suspected cannabis.
Then, on June 26, officers examining another shipment set for export “identified discrepancies within,” leading to the discovery of more vacuum-sealed bags of suspected cannabis. A total of 100 bags weighing approximately 300 kilograms were seized.
“Although cannabis has been legalized and regulated in Canada, it remains illegal to import or export cannabis and cannabis products without a valid permit or exemption issued by the Government of Canada,” Rahul Coelho, acting director of CBSA Pacific Region, Metro Vancouver District, said in a press release.
“These significant seizures demonstrate our commitment to intercepting illegal narcotics — at import and export — and contributes directly to disrupting criminal organization activity.”
The release notes that it is illegal to bring cannabis or cannabis products into or out of the country without a valid Health Canada permit or exemption, regardless of the mode of entry (air, marine, land or rail).
Further, CBSA officers have the authority to examine in-bound shipments as well as goods for export. Personal mail, courier and commercial shipments are subject to the Customs Act and may be examined for prohibited goods, including cannabis and cannabis products.
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editor@northdeltareporter.com
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