209 kg of opium found in heavy machinery imported to Metro Vancouver from UAE, CBSA says

The CBSA shared this image with its release. (CBSA)

An 11,000-kilogram piece of commercial machinery shipped to Metro Vancouver from the United Arab Emirates this spring contained an illicit surprise, according to border agents.

Canada Border Services Agency officers working at the Burnaby Container Examination Facility found 209 kilograms of opium inside the machine, which was found in an inbound shipping container they were reviewing on March 26, 2025.

The CBSA published a news release and video of the seizure on Friday, more than eight months after it occurred

The agency said the container was flagged by CBSA intelligence officers from the National Targeting Centre, and investigators were supported by the CBSA’s Detector Dog Team.

The National Targeting Centre is “a 24/7 operation responsible for targeting analytics and the operational delivery of pre-arrival risk assessments for all passengers and commercial goods” on their way to Canada, the agency said.

The investigation is ongoing, the CBSA said. It did not mention any arrests or charges.

“The Canada Border Services Agency is our country’s first line of defence against crimes such as drug smuggling,” said federal Minister of Public Safety Gary Anandasangaree, in the news release.

“I have seen first hand how their expertise, dedication, and collaboration with law enforcement partners around the globe is stopping criminal activity and protecting our communities.”

Authorities said anyone with information about suspicious cross-border activity should call the CBSA Border Watch Line at 1-888-502-9060.

“CBSA officers are preventing the flow of illegal drugs and disrupting international crime networks that threaten the safety of our communities,” said Nina Patel, regional director general of the CBSA’s Pacific Region.

“This seizure is another example of how CBSA’s intelligence, targeting, and detection capabilities are stopping illegal substances from crossing our border.”

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