Coutts drug bust seized $2M in cocaine

Authorities at the Coutts, Alta., border crossing seized 189 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated value of about $2 million, that was being shipped into Canada.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) says personnel intercepted the drugs that were hidden inside a commercial truck attempting to enter Canada on Nov. 13.

Officials say the seizure is the result of a partnership between the CBSA, the RCMP and the Calgary Police Service.

“I want to commend our CBSA officers who prevent illegal narcotics from breaching our borders and disrupt crime networks. In cooperation with our law enforcement partners, the RCMP and the Calgary Police Service, this significant seizure serves as another example of how Canada’s borders are being secured and drugs are kept off our streets,” said Ben Tame, the CBSA’s director of the southern Alberta and southern Saskatchewan district.

Between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31, the CBSA seized more than 25,600 kilograms of illegal drugs, as well as 15,000 kilograms of cannabis and 547,000 kilograms of undeclared tobacco.

The drugs consisted of:

• 
  3,955 kilograms of cocaine;
• 
  4.9 kilograms of fentanyl;
• 
  237 kilograms of other opioids;
• 
  37 kilograms of heroin; and
• 
  21,457 kilograms of other drugs, narcotics and precursor chemicals.

Further highlights from the CBSA can be found online.