The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) is pleased to share its key highlights from southern Alberta in 2014. Among them are the travellers who entered Canada at our six land border crossings: 1.5 million travellers in 565,956 cars and trucks, both of which represent slight increases over 2013.
2014 was a banner year for firearms seized at the land border, especially during the height of summer traffic. There were 39 firearms, 15 prohibited devices, and 35 prohibited weapons seized from travellers, the majority of whom had declared no weapons or firearms. Many of the incidents resulted in criminal charges.
Snowbird season is equally busy at the land border, with many Albertans returning from their winter vacations. Typically officers will find a significant amount of undeclared or undervalued goods, including cars, recreational vehicles, etc. In April, a couple failed to declare the $159,000 motorhome they purchased while wintering in Arizona.
There were 97 drug seizures resulting in 4.5 kg and 1,900 doses in 2014. Marijuana was the most frequently seized narcotic with 48 seizures resulting in 4.1 kg. In June, officers seized 200 marijuana-laced brownies from a pair of travellers. Several packages of gummy candies were seized in April, as were chocolate bars in November, because they were all laced with marijuana.
Additional Facts
- Officers issued 2,033 work permits and 253 study permits, and 9,947 people were landed as permanent residents.
- A total of 384,000 commercial shipments were cleared in southern Alberta, the majority at Coutts.
- There were nine suspected child pornography seizures: eight at Coutts and one at Carway.
Associated Links
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Contacts
Lisa White
CBSA Media Relations
403-292-4011
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Photo: On June 17, 2014, officers at Carway found a woman concealed in a modified truck compartment measuring 16 inches high by 14 inches deep by 5.5 feet wide.
