An investigation team seized 123 kg of cannabis, along with 11.5 kg of cocaine, ready for export at the Port of Montreal in May.

These seizures began with an investigation in February of this year by the US Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST)—which works in coordination with Canadian officials—along with the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Peel Regional Police (PRP), Toronto Police Service (TPS) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

Then, on June 27, 2024, members from BEST executed seven search warrants in Niagara Falls, Oakville, Brampton and Kitchener with the assistance of the OPP Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit (PAFU), OPP-led Provincial Guns and Gangs Enforcement Team (PGNG), OPP-led Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit (PWEU), OPP Urban Search and Rescue, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear and Explosive Response Team (UCRT), OPP Digital Forensics and uniform members from the Cambridge, Niagara and Mississauga OPP Detachments as well as CBSA, PRP, TPS and the RCMP.

Two men, Darko Tambur, age 37, of Niagara Falls, and Damir Dedic, age 53, of Kitchener, have been charged with Trafficking Schedule I Substance, Exporting Schedule I Substance, and Importing and exporting cannabis

Tambur was arrested and released and is scheduled for a first appearance on August 12, 2024, in Milton. An arrest warrant has been issued for Dedic. The investigation is ongoing.

“This investigation shows the true value of collaboration with our provincial and national policing partners,” said OPP Detective Superintendent Lee Fulford, Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau. “Criminal networks continue to exploit our borders, and with partnerships such as the Border Enforcement Security Task Force, we can curb their importation and exportation attempts. We will continue to investigate any person or group involved in criminal activity with a connection to our borders, and beyond.” 

CBSA reports seizing nearly 26.6 million grams of cannabis and 126,210 grams of hash in 2023, up from nearly 20 million grams of cannabis in 2022 and 15,429 grams of hash.

Reports of cannabis experts into the US and other markets are not uncommon. In February, police in Québec said they arrested three people in connection with the illicit export of cannabis to the United States. 

Canadian cannabis also often finds its way into illicit markets overseas. 

In June, while examining outbound luggage at the Halifax Stanfield airport, CBSA seized 32 kg of cannabis. On June 18, CBSA officers at the Montreal Maritime and Rail Services intercepted 309.52 kg of Hashish hidden in cans of tomato paste. 

In May, border officials intercepted a package at the Montréal-Trudeau Airport that contained 120 kg of dried cannabis. 

In April, Montreal Maritime and Rail Services CBSA officers seized 275 kg of dried cannabis hidden in bags of wood pellets.In February, CBSA officials at Vancouver International seized over 180 kg of cannabis. In January, the CBSA intercepted 310 kg of cannabis in a container exported from Canada to the UK at Montréal Marine and Rail Services.

Officials in Hong Kong have reported seizing large amounts of cannabis, often from Canada, as have officials in Italy, where more than 100 kilograms were discovered earlier this year by police. 

Despite stiff penalties, Hong Kongers, especially young people, are illegally importing hundreds of kilograms of cannabis from Canada and the US, local officials noted in 2020.

Most recently, Hong Kong customs seized 120 kilograms of cannabis from Canada in August 2023 in a shipment listed as chickpeas, and another 100 kilograms on July 25, declared as leisure patio chairs.

A relatively recent article in the Dutch newspaper BN DeStem noted a large seizure of cannabis en route from Canada to Germany, asking if North America was replacing the Netherlands as a source of cannabis in the region. 

The US saw a similar spike in large seizures of cannabis while the border was closed to non-essential traffic. Canadian cannabis making its way to the US is not new, but with more US states legalizing, distributors of cannabis looking for markets can still utilize US channels to send cannabis to foreign shores. 

Similarly, as more US states legalize, the allure of higher prices abroad can be difficult to resist for Canadian producers in a saturated market.

Featured image shows cannabis from a seizure of 310 kg of cannabis in a container exported from Canada to the UK at Montréal Marine and Rail Services. Via Twitter.

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