The Integrated Border Enforcement Team (IBET), in partnership with Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Calgary Police Service, has charged an adult male for trying to import several kilograms of heroin into Canada via commercial airlines.
On May 27, 2022, CBSA officers at Calgary International Airport referred a traveller arriving on a flight from Frankfurt, Germany for secondary inspection. Upon examination of the traveller's luggage, officers seized four packages containing 5 kg of suspected heroin concealed within a suitcase. CBSA has referred the seized drugs over to IBET for further investigation.
On May 28, 2022, IBET arrested and charged a 63-year-old Belgian national with the following offences:
- Importation of a Controlled Substance under section 6(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act;
- Possession of a Controlled Substance for the Purpose of Trafficking under section 5(2) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act; and
- Smuggling Out of Canada under section 159(2) of the Customs Act.
The 63-year-old individual was remanded into custody and a bail hearing has been scheduled for today at the Calgary Provincial Courthouse.
"This significant seizure and resulting investigation are a testament to the strong partnership the RCMP shares with CBSA and Calgary Police Service," said Insp. Germain Leger of the Alberta RCMP Integrated Border Enforcement Team. "We know that crime has no borders and it is imperative that we continue working with our partners to share information and coordinate enforcement, as needed, to keep Canadians safe from the harms of illegal drugs and crime related to smuggling."
IBET is an integrated federal policing unit based out of Calgary and Edmonton that contributes to maintaining Canada's safety and security including the land and air border domains in Alberta. Their mandate is to enhance border integrity and security along the shared border, between designated ports of entry, by identifying, investigating and interdicting persons, organizations and goods that are involved in criminal activities. The unit is comprised of members of the Alberta RCMP, CBSA and Calgary Police Service.