Canada Border Services has seized a shipment of 106 kg of methamphetamine at the Tsawwassen Container Examination Facility (TCEF).
According to a news release from the CBSA, on Feb. 4 after receiving information from the CBSA National Targeting Centre, border services officers at the TCEF examined a container from Mexico using a wide range of detection tools and technology. Upon further examination, bags of white crystal were discovered and the CBSA laboratory confirmed the results were positive for methamphetamine.
The CBSA estimates the value of the seizure to be approximately $13.5 million.
“As Canada’s first line of defence, Canada Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) frontline officers and intelligence personnel work tirelessly to ensure that our borders are not used for illegal activity,” said Nina Patel, Acting Regional Director General, Pacific Region, Canada Border Services Agency. “This CBSA seizure and the ongoing cooperation with the RCMP demonstrates the commitment between law enforcement partners to keep Canadian communities safe. We will not tolerate those who attempt to benefit from drug smuggling or any organized crime.”
To support the follow up investigation, CBSA Operations and Intelligence personnel worked collaboratively to analyze and gather all information related to this shipment. The file was referred to the RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime (FSOC) unit for criminal investigation.
According to RCMP, four men have been charged.
They include: 27-year-old Xavier Eduardo Hernandez Cedillo, 25-year-old Alan Jesus Hernandez Cedillo, 35-year-old Roberto Renteria Maldonado and 34-year-old Sergio Ivan Cota Garcia who have all been charged with one count each of importation of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) and possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine) for the purpose of trafficking.
All are citizens of Mexico and have been released pending their next court appearance on July 6.
“This case is another excellent example of the cooperation between the RCMP and CBSA,” said RCMP Supt. Richard Bergevin. “The RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime units continue to target the transnational criminal organizations that traffic synthetic drugs into our communities. We are committed to keeping Canadians safe.”
