August 06, 2007  Sarnia, Canada border
Canadian Customs seize 37 kilograms of cocaine from a tractor trailer

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced today that its officers at the Blue Water Bridge in Sarnia have intercepted 37 kilos of suspected cocaine worth an estimated street value of $4.7 million.

"I want to commend our border services officers for this seizure, which clearly demonstrates the excellent work that they continue to do on behalf of all Canadians," said the Honourable Stockwell Day, Minister of Public Safety. "Drug seizures of this magnitude show that the CBSA and its partners are making a real difference in keeping drugs off our streets and out of our communities."

The drugs were uncovered on August 6, 2007, by CBSA officers who were examining a tractor-trailer that had been referred for a secondary examination. The officers discovered 33 cellophane-wrapped packages of cocaine packed in boxes under the sleeping area of the tractor. Both the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System (VACIS) and a detector dog were used in the examination.

The investigation of this smuggling attempt is ongoing. Any person with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the CBSA Border Watch Toll-free Line at 1 888-502-9060.

This is the most significant cocaine seizure this year at the Blue Water Bridge. Since January 1, 2007, the CBSA in Windsor-St. Clair has prevented over 337 kilos of cocaine worth an estimated street value of $42 million from entering Canada.

The Aug. 6 seizure is believed to be the largest cocaine bust at the Blue Water Bridge since July 2003, when officers seized 52 kilograms (115 pounds) of cocaine, worth an estimated $6.5 million.

Other recent seizures include:

September 2003, customs officers found 862 kilos (1,900 pounds) of marijuana, worth an estimated $9 million, on a garbage truck.

June 2003, officers arrested a Quebec trucker after finding 33 kilos (73 pounds) of marijuana, worth more than $125,000, stashed among four John Deere tractors.

January 2001, during a routine inspection, customs inspectors located 87 kilos (192 pounds) of liquid hash, worth $3.5 million, hidden in 20 plastic jugs inside four sports bags.

 
Source: CBSA