The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) recently intercepted a traveller at Vancouver International Airport (VIA) who was attempting to smuggle suspected heroin into Canada.
On March 23, a male traveller who arrived via Brussels and London was referred for a secondary examination. During the examination, border services officers (BSOs) became suspicious that he had ingested narcotics as a means to smuggle them into the country, and he was immediately arrested. While under the CBSA’s care and control, he expelled a number of pellets. The pellets were field tested by BSOs and tested positive for suspected heroin. He was later escorted to the hospital, where X-rays confirmed the presence of additional foreign objects in his digestive system. He remained in the hospital until all pellets were expelled. The 67 pellets of suspected heroin expelled by the traveller weighed approximately 1.36 kilograms.
On March 26, the traveller and suspected heroin were transferred into the custody of the RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime. Federal Serious and Organized Crime investigators submitted a report to Crown Counsel and the Crown approved the charges. John Josephs, a 40-year-old resident of the United Kingdom, has been charged with importation and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Quick Facts
- In 2013, BSOs in the Pacific Region made 2,525 drug seizures, keeping more than 1,256 kg of drugs off B.C. streets.
Quotes
“Ingesting narcotics to evade detection is an extremely dangerous practice for the courier, regardless of how well the pellets are wrapped. It is a life threatening situation that requires immediate medical intervention. This seizure demonstrates how the CBSA plays a vital role in preventing crime in Canada and how diligent our officers are in the interception of smuggled illicit substances, no matter which concealment method is used.”
- Sari Hellsten, CBSA’s District Director at Vancouver International Airport
“RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime investigators work in partnership with the CBSA every day to support public safety and investigate offences against the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. This seizure and resulting criminal charges represent a success and prevented a significant quantity of a very dangerous drug from reaching British Columbia.”
- Sgt Duncan Pound, RCMP Federal Media Relations Officer
Associated Links
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Contacts
CBSA Media Relations Sgt Duncan Pound
Vancouver, British Columbia RCMP Federal Media Relations Officer
604-818-9701 778-290-2520
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