The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) continues to seize cannabis destined for foreign shores.
Recent press releases document more than 500 kilograms of illegal cannabis seized in the past few months, most destined for the UK.
In the first two fiscal quarters of the 2024-2025 year, the CBSA seized 9,474.804 kilograms of cannabis and 309.754 kilograms of hash. In the previous year, the agency reported seizing 23,553.038 kilograms of cannabis and 126.21 kilograms of hash. The amount of cannabis seized has increased each year since 2018.
In a post on Facebook on November 27, CBSA air cargo officers at Vancouver International airport (YVR) seized 533 kilograms of cannabis in three separate shipments.
In a press release on November 25, CBSA agents found approximately 62 kilograms of concealed cannabis in an outbound baggage examination on October 23, destined for London, UK.
In a press release the following day on November 26, the CBSA announced three seizures totalling 425 kilograms of suspected cannabis recently intercepted at ports of entry in Nova Scotia.
On October 25th, a Canadian air passenger arrived at the Toronto Pearson International Airport with a scheduled departure flight to Germany. An outbound baggage examination by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) found approximately 45 kilograms of cannabis concealed inside her luggage.
The first seizure on October 22 at the Port of Halifax included 347 kilograms of cannabis and one package of suspected hashish weighing approximately 1 kilogram.
Then, on November 13, CBSA officers at Halifax Stanfield International Airport (HSIA) intercepted two large suitcases containing approximately 49 kilograms of suspected cannabis destined for London, United Kingdom.
The following day, CBSA officers at HSIA intercepted two suitcases containing approximately 30 kilograms of suspected cannabis destined for London, UK.
CBSA arrested one individual for smuggling out of Canada. The individual, Alexander James Mahar, was transferred into the custody of the Special Enforcement Section of the RCMP/Halifax Regional Police Integrated Criminal Investigation Division, along with all evidence.
Mahar was charged with exporting, possession for the purpose of selling, and possession for the purpose of distributing. He will next be in Dartmouth Provincial Court on January 28, 2025.
Such seizures have become more common in recent months. In a media release on November 19, the RCMP and CBSA say the Canada Border Services Agency found approximately 40 kilograms of cannabis concealed inside luggage destined for London on October 21. Police claim this was worth CAD$120,000.
Two Chinese nationals were recently jailed in the UK for importing cannabis from Canada as part of what authorities said was a “significant criminal enterprise.” The two students allegedly recruited other students to receive packages of cannabis at student housing in the city.
The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) found approximately 40 kilograms of cannabis concealed inside the luggage of a man scheduled to fly to London, UK, on October 21.
On October 29, 2024, CBSA officers intercepted a package containing 171.5 kg of dried cannabis being exported to Belgium at the Montréal Trudeau airport.
Earlier this year, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) seized 140 pounds of cannabis at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport destined for the UK. In January, the CBSA intercepted 310 kg of cannabis in a container exported from Canada to the UK at Montréal Marine and Rail Services.
