CBSA Pacific Region operational and enforcement highlights from 2020

Vancouver, British Columbia

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) Pacific Region (British Columbia and Yukon Territory) today released operational and enforcement highlights that demonstrate how CBSA employees throughout the region have worked to safeguard our communities while supporting the economy during these unprecedented times.

The 2020 operational and enforcement highlights cover January 1 to October 31, 2020.

Keeping drugs out

• In February, border services officers at the Tsawwassen Container Examination Facility examined a container and discovered bags of white crystal. The CBSA laboratory confirmed the results were positive for methamphetamine. The drugs weighed 106 kilograms and the CBSA estimates its value to be approximately $13.5 million CAD.
• In May, border services officers at the Pacific Highway port of entry Commercial Operations conducted an examination on a commercial tractor-trailer and noticed anomalies. Twenty bricks of suspected cocaine were discovered, weighing approximately 20 kilograms in total, and estimated to be worth over $2.5 million CAD.
• In May, border services officers at the Vancouver International Mail Centre seized 1.4 kilograms of suspected methamphetamine hidden within a shipment of toys and electronics during an export exam.
• In June, officers from the Vancouver Island Mobile Enforcement Team, Victoria Marine Operations and the Pacific Region Intelligence Section boarded a commercial vessel at Constance Bank Anchorage to perform an examination. Eleven individually wrapped packages of suspected cocaine were located and seized.
• In August, Vancouver International Airport Air Cargo officers examined a shipment declared as corn powder, grinded egusi and fish oil. A closer examination revealed 463.75 kilograms of Catha Edulis, also known as "khat." An additional 536 kilograms of khat was seized the next day from the same importer.
• In October, Vancouver International Airport Air Cargo officers intercepted two shipments of heavy pieces of machinery. Officers noticed anomalies and upon closer examination, discovered 18 bricks of suspected cocaine inside the machine parts. The drugs weighed 6.5 kilograms and are estimated to be valued at $786,000 CAD.

Intercepting guns and weapons

• In February, border services officers at the Paterson port of entry discovered a camouflaged pouch which contained a loaded prohibited .38 calibre pistol. The subject was arrested for smuggling a prohibited firearm into Canada and the firearm was seized.
• In April, four travellers transiting to Alaska declared three rifles and a pistol upon their arrival at the Pacific Highway port of entry. A secondary examination of their vehicle revealed additional undeclared firearms including handguns, long guns and military grade assault rifles, and 13 over-capacity magazines. Several of these handguns, as well as undeclared cash, were located within a hidden compartment in the vehicle.
• In June, the Vancouver Island Mobile Enforcement Team seized an undeclared semi auto pistol, a prohibited rifle, two overcapacity magazines and 230 grams of cannabis products from a fishing vessel in the Southern Gulf Islands.
• In June, border services officers performed a secondary examination on a motorhome entering Canada at the Kingsgate port of entry. Inside the motorhome were two prohibited handguns, personal amounts of various drugs and non-reported currency valued at $26,000 USD and 1 million Iraqi Dinar, all of which were seized. Border services officers also discovered non-reported hippo tusks and bear skulls, which were detained and referred to Environment and Climate Change Canada. The traveller has been charged under the Customs Act for smuggling, and under the Criminal Code of Canada for illegal possession of firearms.
• In July, Metro Vancouver Traveller Operations and the Metro Vancouver Marine Boat Team attended Steveston docks in Richmond, BC, and seized undeclared firearms including three long guns and two hand guns from two travellers that entered Canada by boat.
• In July, officers at the Abbotsford-Huntingdon port of entry seized 14 firearms including four prohibited semi-automatic rifles (assault-style); three prohibited handguns; one restricted handgun; and six non-restricted long guns. The traveller had not declared the firearms and faced charges.

Supporting a strong economy

• The CBSA uses the Administrative Monetary Penalty System (AMPS) and may impose monetary penalties to commercial clients for violating CBSA's trade and border legislation. As a result of Project Purify, seven commercial importers were fined over $36,000 CAD under the AMPS for various infractions including failing to provide a required certificate, licence, permit or information for the goods.
• In January, Trade Compliance Officers determined that a foreign importer of personalized stationaries contravened the Customs Act and directed the importer to correct the value of their previous four years of imports, over $14 million CAD in value for duty. As a result, the Pacific Region Trade Operations Division recovered $1.9 million CAD in customs duties, GST and interest, and an additional $500 under the AMPS, from the importer.
• In July, Trade Compliance Officers determined that a foreign apparel importer contravened the Customs Act and directed the importer to correct the value of their previous four years of imports, close to $4 million CAD in value for duty. As a result, the Pacific Region Trade Operations Division recovered over $806,000 CAD in customs duties, GST and interest, and an additional $500 under the AMPS, from the importer.

Additional highlights

• The Pacific Region Criminal Investigations Section successfully disrupted Project Interpretation, a human smuggling ring. In January, Michael Shun Lok Kong was sentenced in Richmond Provincial Court to five counts pursuant to section 117 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) for the smuggling of 27 foreign nationals, including two unaccompanied minors, into Canada.