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Prosecutions and Seizures
Quebec Region
CBSA officers seize suspected opium inside animal statuettes
Montréal, Quebec, March 14, 2013 — The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced today that it seized more than six kilograms of suspected opium in a parcel at the Léo Blanchette International Mail Processing Centre in Montréal.
On February 19, 2013, an X-ray examination of a package from Turkey revealed the presence of hidden masses inside animal statuettes. The officers then discovered packages of a brownish and smelly substance that had been concealed within the figurines. The substance contained over 6 kilograms of suspected opium.
"I am proud of this seizure by CBSA officers, who are Canadians' first line of defense against the entry of illegal drugs into our country," said Benoît Chiquette, Regional Director General of the CBSA in Quebec. "Stopping the smuggling of illegal drugs at our border plays a big part in making our communities safer."
In 2012, border services officers made 958 seizures of narcotics or controlled substances in parcels in Montréal.
During this same year, border services officers in Quebec made 1,653 drug seizures.
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The X-ray of the package revealed masses in the statuettes that were found to be suspected opium.
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The drug was concealed inside eight animal statuettes (swan, panda, bear, elephant, dog and bird).
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