A significant seizure of methamphetamine intercepted by Canadian border guards in British Columbia has led to three arrests.
A 46-year-old foreign national was arrested in Kelowna on March 17, while two others were brought into custody in Australia on the same day.
The illicit drugs were found by Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers at the Tsawwassen Container Examination Facility in January.
According to police, they were stashed away in jars of pickles that were bound for Melbourne, Australia.
While the 40-year-old and 63-year-old arrested in Australia have been charged, the man arrested in Kelowna has since been released from custody pending further investigation.
“The individual has been referred to the CBSA for appropriate immigration enforcement action,” an RCMP release noted.
Mounties have also executed search warrants at multiple locations, including Kelowna, the Lower Nicola and Abbotsford, and have seized multiple cell phones and other electronic devices.
Tim Arseneault, acting deputy Pacific Region commander for RCMP Federal Policing, praised the cooperation between international partners in Canada and Australia.
“Drug trafficking knows no borders, and neither does our drive to confront it,” he said. “This operation demonstrates that our partnerships are not only strong, but growing stronger.”
Search warrants executed in Sydney and Melbourne in connection to this investigation have produced $400,000 in cash, eight 1kg silver bars, a luxury vehicle, jewelry, watches, electronic devices and drug paraphernalia.
