The seizure in Tsawwassen highlights the strength of continued collaboration between Canadian and U.S. agencies in combatting drugs and organized crime.

That’s according to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), which says it seized more than a half-tonne of opium after examining a marine container at the Tsawwassen Container Examination Facility earlier this year.

In a news release issued Tuesday (June 23), the agency notes that the container was referred by CBSA border services officers for examination on Jan. 14, 2026, based on information provided by the CBSA’s National Targeting Centre, Pacific Regional Intelligence Section and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Upon arrival at the Tsawwassen inspection facility, CBSA’s detector dog team was deployed and provided positive indication for contraband.

That prompted border services officers to conduct an x-ray examination, which led to the discovery that the container held 20 industrial-sized rolls of paper with images revealing internal inconsistencies in nine of them.

A subsequent progressive examination confirmed that opium had been concealed deep within 10 paper rolls, the CBSA notes, adding that border services officers seized a total of 520.6 kilograms of opium.

“This seizure of more than half a tonne of opium is the result of strong collaboration and ongoing intelligence sharing between CBSA and U.S. partners. The CBSA is preventing opioid harm in our communities and is disrupting organized crime networks. I want to commend everyone involved in this significant operation,” said Gary Anandasangaree, Minister of Public Safety.

Nina Patel, Regional CBSA Director General, Pacific Region, said, “Every kilogram of opium we intercept at the border is a kilogram that will not devastate a family or community. This seizure is a testament to the skill, dedication, and vigilance of the CBSA officers who protect us every single day.”

The CBSA says that, in 2025, officers in B.C. made 11,390 illegal narcotic seizures, including 329 kg of opioids.

Also in 2025, CBSA Detector Dog Service teams carried out 29,486 searches, resulting in 34,810 seizures involving drugs, firearms and currency.