RCMP say three people have been arrested after a large quantity of illicit drugs was uncovered in a shipment of pickles.
The RCMP Federal Policing Pacific Region said in a release that police had identified two suspects allegedly involved in the importation of drugs from Canada into Australia. Once they started investigating, the RCMP identified a shipment of drugs about to be exported to Australia from B.C.
In January, RCMP officers and officers with the Canada Border Services Agency at the Tsawwassen Container Examination Facility intercepted a shipment of 115 kg of methamphetamine hidden in jars of pickles.
They were destined for Melbourne, Australia.
On March 17, two men, ages 40 and 63, were arrested in Australia and homes in Sydney and Melbourne were searched.
The following items were seized during the searches, according to RCMP:
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- $400,000 in cash
- Eight one-kilogram silver bars
- A luxury vehicle
- Jewelry and watches
- Electronic devices
- Drug paraphernalia
The 40-year-old man has been charged with one count of attempting to import a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs, and one count of conspiracy to import a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs.
The 63-year-old man was charged with one count of attempting to possess a commercial quantity of border-controlled drugs.
On March 17 in B.C., a 46-year-old foreign national was arrested in Kelowna.
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RCMP said he was later released, pending further investigation, and has been referred to the CBSA for appropriate immigration enforcement action.
Investigators with the RCMP Federal Policing Pacific Region Drugs and Organized Crime Section executed search warrants at multiple locations, including Abbotsford, Lower Nicola, and Kelowna, seizing multiple cellphones and electronic devices.
“Today’s announcement is the direct result of sustained international cooperation and the dedication of law enforcement professionals across multiple countries,” Tim Arseneault, Acting Deputy Regional Commander, RCMP Federal Policing, Pacific Region, said in a release.
“Drug trafficking knows no borders, and neither does our drive to confront it. This operation demonstrates that our partnerships are not only strong but growing stronger.”
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