Cocaine bust highlights busy year at Pacific Highway border crossing
A large cocaine bust is part of a dramatic increase in narcotics seizures last year among travellers at the Pacific Highway border crossing in Surrey, B.C.
In a statement, the Canada Border Services agency said on Oct. 23, 2016 a traveller entered Canada and was sent to secondary inspection. Border officers examined her car and found two bricks of suspected cocaine. Upon further inspection, border officers found 15 more bricks. In total, the bricks weighed nearly 17 kilograms.
Surrey RCMP are investigating the incident.
The Pacific Highway border crossing was exceptionally busy this year. The CBSA reported 574 narcotic seizures in the traffic division of the border crossing this year, compared to 301 narcotic seizures in 2015.
The commercial division also had a high-profile seizure at the crossing. In October, 107.5 kilograms of suspected cocaine hidden in rice were seized.
Last year, 3,335,161 travellers were processed at the Pacific Highway crossing.
