July 16, 2007  Ontario, Canada
Canadian Border Services Agency seizes 19 kilograms of cocaine

The Canada Border Services Agency announced today that its officers at the Peace Bridge have seized 19 kilos of cocaine worth an estimated street value of $2.2 million. This is the largest cocaine seizure made by CBSA officers at the Peace Bridge this year.

"I want to commend our CBSA officers for the fine work that they do on behalf of all Canadians," said the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety. "Canada's New Government is committed to keeping illegal drugs out of our communities, and our CBSA officers are the first line of defence. This seizure alone has kept 19 kilos of cocaine from entering our communities.

The drugs were uncovered on July 16, 2007, by CBSA officers who were examining a rented Ford Explorer. The vehicle had been referred for examination because of inconsistencies in the driver's oral declaration.

The officers discovered 15 packages of neatly packaged and marked cocaine hidden inside the door panels of the vehicle. Both the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS) and a detector dog were used in the examination. The driver and his passenger, both from the Toronto area, were arrested by the CBSA. An investigation by the RCMP and the CBSA is now underway.

This is the second significant seizure of drugs in the Niagara-Fort Erie region in less than a month. On June 21, 2007, CBSA officers at the Rainbow Bridge prevented $296,000 worth of illegal drugs from entering Canada after the drugs were found during the search of a rented vehicle. Two Canadians (one from Richmond Hill and one from Scarborough) were involved.

If you have any information involving suspicious cross-border activities, please contact the CBSA Border Watch Toll-free Line at 1-888-502-9060.

Source: Canada Border Services Agency