Opium smuggling trail leads to Winnipeg

RCMP arrested two people in Winnipeg after unraveling what they say was a conspiracy to smuggle opium through the mail from Turkey to Canada.

Border agents found 800 grams of opium September 17 hidden in a picture frame, packed in a parcel at Montreal’s mail processing centre. It originated in Turkey and was addressed to Winnipeg, but police say that likely wasn’t the final destination.

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On September 25, police arrested two people in Winnipeg: 47-year-old Hussein Khalilzadeh Nikbin (also known as Kevin Anderson) of Burnaby, BC and 45-year-old Patricia Louise Gauthier of Winnipeg.

Khalilzadeh Nikbin has been charged with Possession of Opium for the Purpose of Trafficking, Importation of Opium, Conspiracy to Import Opium, and Conspiracy to Traffic Opium. He has been remanded in custody to appear in Winnipeg court on September 27, 2013.

Gauthier has been charged with Possession of opium for the Purpose of Trafficking, Importation of opium, Conspiracy to Import Opium, and Conspiracy to Traffic Opium. She has also been remanded in custody to appear in Winnipeg court on September 27, 2013.

Opium contains morphine and can be processed into heroine.