$198 million in cocaine seized at Saint John port: RCMP

(SOURCE: Canada Border Services Agency)

RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) say they seized roughly $198 million worth of cocaine in early January at the Port of Saint John, New Brunswick.

Police say the drugs were discovered by border services officers at the port on Jan. 7, concealed inside the cargo of a shipping container.

It’s the largest bust of its kind in Atlantic Canada in 30 years. All evidence was turned over to the RCMP for further investigation.

On Jan. 27, Ontario RCMP Federal Police executed a search warrant in Brantford, Ont., with help from the CBSA, Brantford Police Services and other municipal police services.

RCMP says six people were arrested at the scene but five were released without charge.

The next day, Kyle Alexander Purvis, 34, of Brantford, appeared at the Ontario Court of Justice. Purvis faces charges of importing a controlled substance into Canada and possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.

He was released under strict conditions, including electronic monitoring, pending a court appearance on March 3, while the investigation continues.

The operation leading up to the seizure began in fall of 2021, when CBSA intelligence received information about exported shipments originating from Central America.

In December, CBSA started tracking a marine shipping container of interest which contained goods imported by a Greater Toronto Area (GTA) resident, and exported from Central America, with a final destination of Saint John.

CBSA units in the GTA, the Atlantic Region and the International Operations Division, as well as the RCMP in both Ontario and New Brunswick worked together on the case.

“This seizure is a great example of how our officers in Canada and around the world work closely with our law enforcement partners to share intelligence, prevent illicit drugs from entering Canada, and protect our communities,” said John Ossowski, President, Canada Border Services Agency in a news release.

So far this fiscal year, the CBSA say it’s seized a total of 724 kilograms of cocaine/crack at ports of entry across the country, from April 2021 to October, 2021.